Silver & Blaze: Our Story
by Iris Sweetheart
Summary: Two friends. Fifteen years. And many stories to be told. This is a story about friendship and the paths chosen.
1. Where I Was

Silver & Blaze: Our Story  
By: Iris Sweetheart

_Act 1: Childhood  
_**Where I Was**

My name is Blaze the Cat. That doesn't need to be said but this is my story. Actually, it's not just my story but one that I share with many others so, more appropriately, this is _our_ story. In any case, the past fifteen years have been everything but ordinary. All that I went through eventually became the norm and it even got to the point where anything unexpected became…expected. But I never realized that I had fallen into this mindset until now. Until the sight before me finally sunk deep into my consciousness

The tanned afternoon sky. The smell of the sea waves crashing at my feet. The revived Death Egg fortress now half destroyed and slowly descending on the horizon; its engines struggling to support its fat weight. To top it all off, the visual was offset by the gorgeous setting sun. It was a definite mission accomplished for us and while this one event brought their feud to an end, it certainly wouldn't be the last that would require us to work together once more. I'd see those boys again in due time.

…I brushed my fingers across my lips, grasped the tiny object in my hand, and reminisced in awe. Reminisced about where I was fifteen years ago and the journey I went on to get to where I am now. A journey where I crossed paths with many others…and shared exclusively with _him._


	2. The Witch in Me

Silver & Blaze_:_ Our Story

_Blaze, Age 10_**  
The Witch in Me**

_June_  
The entire day their eyes followed me. Everywhere I went, their whispers followed. It hurts…not just the wounds I have all over me covered up by clothes I usually wear in the fall. The words I hear hurt too. They can whisper as quietly as they want but…I'm a cat. I can still hear that stuff. One day, some girls intentionally bumped into me and I dropped my lunch bag and a few books. With no intention of helping me, they kept on walking down the hallway laughing all the while. What did I ever do to them? It's just unfair. Silver thought so too as he knelt down next to me and helped gather my books. When I picked up my lunch bag, he grasped onto my wrist and helped me up though his grip was a little too tight. I didn't want to get mad at him and raise my voice, so I tugged on my arm a few times before he finally came to his senses and released me.

"Ah…sorry about that." Silver looked away bashfully. "Hey Blaze, I forgot to bring my lunch money with me so…"

Again? He does this too often for it to be a coincidence but…I'm not in the mood of mothering him right now.

"It's fine. I'll share some of mine with you." I started to walk down the hall towards the lunchroom and Silver fell into step behind me.

I guess I should go into more detail about my wounds. They're burn injuries I got from a fire that occurred in my home a week ago. How it all started is still a mystery, even to the firefighters who investigated afterwards. I barely remember being caught up in the fire. If anything, I recall going to bed early because I was feeling unusually tired that day and woke up some time later nearly choking on thick smoke. The next memory after that was in the hospital with my parents at my bedside and bandages mostly over the lower half of my body and a little on my hands and arms. The doctor called them "second degree burns". In short, I would be ok with some treatment. Most of the burns have almost healed up now but I still want to keep them covered until the fur grows back.

Jumping back to the present, the rest of the school day went by about as normal as it could with me ignoring anyone that made fun of me or whispered behind my back. Silver was at my side as we walked home together through the forest on the small dirt path we always used to go home from school. The scratching of our shoes on the dirt, the twittering birds in the distance, and the soft chattering of the leaves as they swayed in the wind. I felt uneasy. Whenever I became nervous by the atmosphere, no matter how peaceful it was, I resorted to a habit that quickly developed since the house fire. I would nibble at the bandages on my left fingers. Mom told me that whenever I did that, I was releasing…en…endorphins? I'm not exactly sure but she told me that it was something that our bodies produced naturally whenever we're in pain or under stress. I guess I've been in a lot of stress lately since I've been chewing on the bandages often.

It was then when I suddenly felt Silver pull my hand away from my mouth.

"You'll mess up the bandages and get an infection." he said as if it was his turn to parent me now.

He probably made that up but I stopped anyway knowing how easy it is for Silver to worry over me.

"We're having salmon for dinner tonight." He said. "If you want, my mom can wrap some up for you to take back to your grandpa's place."

With our house under repairs right now, my parents and I are staying with my grandfather across town. It's a bit of a long drive so dad drops me off at school in the morning. I walk to Silver's house in the afternoon and stay there until dad can pick me up on his way home from work.

"Sounds nice." I said.

I'm sure Silver wanted to say more since he's the type that feels that every bit of silence needs to be occupied with some kind of noise…but then I felt him look over at me and held back whatever he wanted to say. Sometimes he's actually capable of knowing when to do the right thing.

The atmosphere suddenly changed when, just ahead of us, some bushes lying off the path rustled and Lucas, a tall wolf kid from school, jumped out with one of his sidekick buddies, a lanky weasel. Behind us, a few more members of Lucas's gang appeared on the path; the weasel's twin brother and two snarky girls. Instinctively, Silver stood in front of me blocking Lucas from my view.

"See? I told you they'd show up on this path." said the weasel kid standing alongside Lucas. "They always walk home this way."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll give you some stickers for it later." Lucas brushed away his friend. "Anyway, I've been meaning to have a talk with you lovebirds."

Not really sure what Silver thinks of it, but I don't like it when people start rumors like that. We're just friends as far as I'm concerned.

"We don't have to talk to you Lucas!" Silver shouted unnecessarily. "Just let us go home! We don't want any trouble!"

"Not your choice bird-hair. We _want_ to talk to you."

The sight of Lucas punching his hand into his fist and his lackeys closing in on us caused my stomach to drop and released even more endorphins from my brain. Right there and then, I felt Silver grab onto my hand but only for a small second. We were pulled apart as the girls, approaching from behind, grabbed me and dragged me away. They shoved me around and pulled at my clothes while I caught glimpses of Silver being beaten up by the boys. Most of the work done by Lucas. Part of me wanted to fight back but common sense told me that fighting would just lead to more trouble with these kids…so I took the harassment. At one point, when I fell to the ground, I could feel one of burn areas on my legs tingle in pain as if a wound had reopened. Fearing that any more sudden jerks would make the pain worse, I remained on the ground while the girls stood over me and taunted.

"What's wrong? Can't walk anymore 'cause of your burnt legs?" the raccoon girl said with a laugh afterwards.

The other girl, a thin figured dog, reached down to pull at my hair. Even though I refused to fight back, I wasn't going to leave myself completely at their will and tried to get her off of me.

"Keep moving and I'll kick your face in!" Her shadow against the ground revealed a pair of scissors in her free hand. No…she wouldn't… "Sit still so I can cut off this stupid ponytail of yours. We always thought it made you look retarded."

A sudden response came from my body as every bone and muscle became unified in getting that girl's grubby hands off of my hair. I even tried reaching up to grab the scissors from her but she held that hand out of reach. Just as I was about to find my footing and stand up, the raccoon girl stood over me pinning my arms down at my sides and I was at their mercy grunting and screaming at them. To make the torture less frustrating for them, they felt the need to turn me on my stomach and shoved my face into the dirt; their laughter clearly audible in my ears. The urge to fight back grew in me and my body got the message to squirm about as much as I could.

Slowly but surely, I was able to turn my face sideways and got partial vision from one eye. Blurry and obscured by bits of dust but vision none the less. Silver wasn't in any better position than I was with him going against three boys as opposed to two girls. Still, if nothing had changed about my jumpy, naïve friend, then he would definitely be able to get us out of this situation if I could just open my mouth. A little more… Keep lifting up my neck… I think I got it!

"Silver! Help!" I know my words probably sounded more garbled than that as the raccoon girl on my back shoved my face back into the dirt but it was the general message that I was trying to get out.

Regardless of clarity, it worked. I could hear him shoving the twin weasel boys out of his path and run towards me. Not even Lucas, who was built heavier than Silver, would be able to stop him now that he was in "hero mode". The sound of the wolf falling to the ground was relief to my ears and Silver's crazy cry of heroism was enough to distract the girls from cutting my hair. Unfortunately, I was unable to see these two wenches scared off even after they got off of me. I stayed on the ground as the fight progressed around me so the only entertainment I got was in the form of their screams filling the air as they backed away. The next thing I felt were Silver's gentle hands on my arms as he helped me up and my frantic heart inside my chest trying to calm itself.

"Are you ok?"

There was that look of worry in his eyes again. Ready to burst into tears almost. However, someone else had already burst into tears. A little ways from us, the dog girl was crying and holding a wound in her forearm that bleed through her fingers while her friend panicked beside her.

"Oh god! She's dying!" the other screamed at what was most likely a harmless flesh wound caused by the sharp scissors. "You witch! This is all your fault!"

There was no time for Silver and myself to react and find her some help for Lucas and the boys attacked us from behind. Silver practically disappeared from my side as Lucas tackled him to someplace off the dirt path. One of the twins grabbed me from behind and had me in a locking hold while his brother stood before me, grabbing my chin.

"You know, I used to think you were cute…and then I heard that you were a witch who likes to burn stuff."

His breath was horrible and not even a spit to his face was enough to get him away. Well…he did walk away briefly over to the hysterical girls but only to pick up something off the ground. The weasel turned back…and in his left hand were the scissors tipped with blood.

"Hey bro, remember that story we read in Lit class where people who were apart of the witchcraft religion were put on trial?" the approaching boy said to his brother.

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Nothing. I just thought this was pretty ironic." Again he lifted my face with his chin. "Especially considering what I'm gonna do to her."

What's he talking about? Cut my hair? No…the scissors. They're going lower.

"Aw dude, that's sick! You're not gonna…?" The unseen brother hoisted me up so my feet couldn't touch the ground.

"Why not? We'll be in high school in two years so might as well get a peek. I hear some of them hit puberty early."

Stop it…for the love of god, get those scissors away from me! I can't say what my exact thoughts were at that moment. Everything was rushing through my head in a blur, so much that all I could manage to do was kick and scream at the twin standing before me as he neared the red-tipped scissors towards the hem of my shirt. Nevermind the fact that this was a shirt that I liked, it was obvious that these two pre-teen perverts were going to violate me! Dammit, let go of me!! The twin behind me tightened his hold on me while the other was hardly phased by my flailing legs. Both chortled stupidly and I felt something break within me as I watched the metal blades snip away at the shirt.

High pitched screams left my mouth, intensifying with each heart wrenching cut as the blades traveled further and further up my shirt. That was all that I could take. I kicked the front twin hard enough to force him to stumble back. A hastily executed head butt hit the twin behind me square in his nose and his grip on me loosened up enough for me to escape…right into the arms of his brother who recovered from my kick in no time. Again I screamed at him and spat in his face. In between frantic shouts, I caught quick sights of the two girls still panicking over the minor wound and Lucas and Silver in a serious scuffle a little further down the dirt path. My desperate attempt to escape from the perverted twin only enticed him to try harder to keep me in his grasp and soon he was at my backside with my frightened body wrapped in his arms. The feeling of helplessness grew to its peak when I felt a hand go under my torn shirt and grabbed hungrily at my chest and the nothings that were barely there hidden by the thin cloth that was my training bra. Coupled with the uncomfortable hump near my tail, whatever emotional security I had at that moment vanished in an instant.

The quick moment that my brain translated into minutes of terror ended abruptly when he and I were taken down by a third party. The weasel's arms unwrapped from me but then I wrapped myself with my own arms desperate to cover up whatever was left. The sounds of the girls still babbling, Silver scuffling with the twins and Lucas, my own inner voice screaming to disappear…it was all blocked out by the sensation of something building up within me. Not anger, not fear…but someone. A yearning so strong that it felt like someone else lived in my body, begging to be released and set free. So I released it…but in the only way that seemed plausible to me. A yelled that may have well traversed across the valleys surrounding our Emerald Town overshadowed everything going on around me…and created an even bigger chaos than I imagined.

Immediate shouts and screams, curse words mixed in, came from Lucas and his goonies. The sounds of their feet scrambling across the dirt followed and eventually faded away. Silence came after…well not complete silence for I could hear the crackling of fire which then clued me in to the faint heat I could feel as well. Slowly I uncurled myself and looked up towards the source of the heat. Off to the side of the dirt path, a small lone tree burned brilliantly from head to toe leaving me in awe.

"B-Blaze! Let's go!" I could hear Silver's voice say and even felt him tug at my arm in an attempt to pull me up.

Running away seemed logical, but wasn't the correct choice. I knew I was upset. In fact, I was very upset. Beyond upset even! But this wasn't the release I wanted from all of that. I just wanted to released the fear and vulnerability I felt at that moment, not create more of it. Stopping that tree from burning down and burning others. That's what I need to do right now. This wasn't what I wanted…it was what that…_thing_ inside of me wanted. Right there before the burning tree I was on my knees, hands held out, whispering quietly for the fire to stop. I suppose I was convinced at that moment that I did start the fire in my home…somehow. Logically, I should be able to stop this fire. Silver continued to tug on me, desperate to drag me away but I didn't want to leave. Not until this fire was stopped.

My wish was heard. The blazing inferno that ate up the frail tree died down quickly in a miracle that seemed very biblical. Only it wasn't a miracle. The tingling I could feel in my hands as the fire dissipated was all the proof that I needed that I, without a doubt, had the ability to create and destroy fire. By then, Silver's tugging had ceased and I'm sure he stood behind me in as much awe as I was in. However, for me, the jaw-dropping moment came to an abrupt end as I instinctively got up and ran off into the forest heading for the only place I ever found peace. Silver's voice shouting after me, fading as I got closer to our secret spot.

Out of all the places I could go to in our tiny community, this small area, at the edge of the forest which our community was hidden away in, was the only place I could go to and find peace. Exiting out of the forest, it was a small walk up a low-grade hill and on the other side was the open Emerald Valley backed by a mountain chain far to the north. In the midst of my emotional breakdown, I could see why the founders of our town built it in the middle of the largest piece of open land on this continent. Out here on the edge, the sounds of the townspeople bustling about was nonexistent. There was only the air, the sway of the tall grass, and the birds above. Nature in its purest form. Still, our secret spot out here wasn't enough to change the fact that just moments ago…I kinda lost part of myself. A big part. What's worst was that filling in that empty space was someone whose views I didn't agree with. Someone who obviously took pleasure in destruction as an outlet. That someone being these flames I produce. It's hard to put into logical words but I really, _really_ do feel as if the flames are a product of someone else. A spirit that's bitter and angry about everything and doesn't let go of grudges. The true witch that's been giving me a bad name. Of course, all of that is just speculation and I have no way of confirming it with actual facts. So I can't really use the excuse of "I'm possessed by the spirit of an evil person" which just sounds stupid all together.

It was about then when I heard him approach me from behind, huffing from chasing after me. Silver didn't say a word as he sat next to me at the top of the hill, keeping his distance out of respect. I know him. I know it's respect. Don't second guess me. While I kept my gaze fixed on the distant mountains, I was really waiting for Silver to say something worrisome just like he always does when I'm in some kind of peril, serious or not. Finally something came forth after a few seconds.

"You'll be ok." he spoke softly and in response I looked over at his beaten self, covered in bruises and bleeding spots mostly on his face.

This wasn't a question out of pure naivety or timidity but a statement of true reassurance that caught me off guard. I must be losing my edge if I thought he wouldn't be quick enough to realize that I was obviously damaged beyond repair. No it wasn't that. I was genuinely hurt. So much so that I failed to do what I, logically, should've done when that pervert touched me in such a way. I should've cried by this point. Instead, I just hugged my knees tighter and buried my face into them while Silver moved closer and wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm sorry Blaze. I'm so sorry. We…we can go home when you're ready."

…Why is he crying? _I'm_ the one who's hurt here.


	3. The Fireworks

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Blaze, Age 10_**  
The Fireworks**

_July_  
It's been a few weeks since the harassment incident and I still haven't cried. Strange. Even when Silver's parents became concerned about happened to us when we got home that day and my parents talked to me when I got back to my grandfather's place, I still didn't feel the urge to cry. I just wanted to stay in my room and not talk about the incident. So I never told anyone what happened. I think that's when mom and dad decided to make our stay on this side of town permanent. They're now looking for a new place to live at the moment. As for our stuff in our old home? Well whatever isn't damaged we'll be able to take with us. For now, we're still staying with grandfather. Even better is the fact that it's Garden Festival Week so my parents decided to hold off on the house hunting for awhile. A brief description of the Garden Festival would be that it's a week long celebration of all the different plant life on the continent of Mobius. Apparently humans don't have this holiday but do have something similar with fireworks. Mom told me that the Garden Festival was a metaphor for celebrating how everyone can come together as one regardless of if you're a Mobian or human. As for me, the Garden Festival meant going to tons of parties and having all sorts of great food. Considering what I just went through, this is a pretty good pick-me-up to take my mind off of that incident. My parents were still concerned and said that we could stay at grandfather's place during the week and have our own little fun, but I really want to get out there and enjoy other parties and stuff. It's a yearly tradition for our family and I want to forget what happened to me.

Now if I could only convince mom that wearing frilly dresses to the parties wasn't necessary… I wonder where she got the money for those things since most of what I owned was lost in the fire.

Halfway through Garden Festival Week and I still have plenty of energy left to go. Just a couple of more parties to get through and the best day of the week will be here. The last day of the festival. On the last day, most people in town gather at four spots where fireworks will be shown, or throw the biggest and best parties at their home. The four places where they show fireworks are at the park close to grandfather's place, the high school back in the old neighborhood, the downtown area, and then some random place that changes every year.

My parents talked with Silver's parents and they're coming over to the cookout we're having on the last day. I wonder if Silver will be ok since he was pretty broken up after the incident. I haven't spoken with him since. Guess I'll have to find out this Saturday what he's been up to and if Lucas and his gang have been picking on him.

Saturday. The final and biggest day of the Garden Festival. The day started off early enough with the entire family waking up at the crack of dawn. Even I was dragged out of bed to help with preparations for the cookout, much to my displeasure. But, hey, since it's a family thing I suppose it's not too bad. Better to make the most of it until the extended family arrives. They drove in from out of town just to be at the cookout…which means I'll be at the mercy of my annoying cousins. I can't stand those three.

Unfortunately, lunch came too soon for me and the extended family arrived…along with my three cousins. Oh, should I mention that everyone here is from my dad's side of the family? Growing up, I've always found it strange that I never once met anyone on mom's side of the family. Strange. Anyway, with the extended family here, I went straight into defense mode ready to protect myself from whatever my cousins had up their sleeves. When is Silver getting here?

The cookout was under way in the backyard and my cousins started their favorite game of "Tail Tag" where the idea was to pull as hard as you could on the tail of whoever wasn't "it". Annoying, really, but since we were the only kids at the cookout, I decided to put up with a round or two. The party carried on under the high afternoon sun with music playing from the stereo on the patio and everyone enjoyed the food and weather. Neighbors even came over to join in on the fun. No other kids, just adults. Then it happened. I grew bored and annoyed of "Tail Tag" and started doing whatever I could to get out of the game. The adults were too busy mingling to help me out, so I took it upon myself to pull out of the game in my own "Blaze-like" way.

"That's is brats! I'm done! Either back off or get a face full of dirt." I cracked my knuckles for added effect.

Yeah I know. I'm not one to bully others but I swear my cousins don't understand any request short of a threat. Besides, I see my aunt and uncle talk to them like that so I guess it's ok. They got the point and ran off continuing the game among themselves while I headed to the side of the house and towards the front yard. Hey! They're here! Silver and his parents just pulled up! They were a little late but came as promised. Silver was quick to jump out of the car before his dad had even turned off the engine and dashed across the yard to meet me. I was surprised at how happy he was.

"Blaze! Blaze!" He nearly tackled me over as he hugged me. "This week was totally awesome for me! How about you?"

So he got over the incident enough to have fun during the festival? I'm surprised. I gave him a short explanation of my week. Kept it cool and simple, you know?

"Sweet. So what kind of food do you guys have here?"

Silver strolled past me, his nose guiding him to the grill and buffet setup, and all I could do was smile. Maybe I'll catch up with him later when he's not stuffing his face with food. His parents greeted me briefly as they passed, his mother carrying a covered dish in her hands. I was about to head on back until something across the street caught my attention. There was a kid staring at me. A black and red hedgehog. Where did he come from? I didn't realize that I was staring at him until he broke eye contact and walked away. Weird. I hope he doesn't go to the school I'm transferring to which, by the way, is a private school. By the time I returned to the backyard, my cousins were buzzing around Silver with a friendly façade. Vultures looking for their next target to "play" with. Better keep and eye on Silver.

The sun began to set, the party started dying out, and I can officially give Silver the nickname of "Garbage Disposal". I've never met a kid who could eat as much as he does! The best part was obviously seeing my extended family leave along with my cousins. It feels great to be an older kid with the privilege of a slightly later bedtime. With them gone, it was just my family, and a few neighbors who hadn't left waiting for the fireworks to start. When night came, Silver and I were briefly distracted by my grandmother's homemade ice cream which she had made the day before. Since most of the adults were too full to eat anymore, whatever was left in the small tub was just for Silver and myself. It was strange that Silver's parents, who were usually super strict about him having too much sugar, didn't care if he ate the rest of the ice cream with me.

Nightfall came and everyone was out back either in lawn chairs or on blankets laid out on the grass waiting for the fireworks show to start. Silver and I were on a blanket in front of the adults.

"So how are things holding up for you?" I had long since given up the ice cream to Silver which he was just about to finish off.

"Not too bad." Silver stuffed down the last spoonful and swallowed wincing at the small brain freeze. "I didn't go out too much after the incident. I was worried about Lucas and his gang coming after me. When my parents finally forced me to go out, that's when I met my new friends."

New friends? Already? That was pretty fast.

"They're really cool! You should come back to the old neighborhood soon, Blaze. I think you should meet them. We're going to the pool next month so come back then."

Looks like he's back to his old self. Inviting me along without even asking me properly like he knows I'll say yes.

"Alright, I'll think about it." Between the two of us, this was my way agreeing to go with him.

Right there and then, the first explosion lit the sky starting the fireworks show from the park nearby. It was everything that I expected it to be with big explosions and even those funny ones that sizzle away like a dying whistle. About halfway through the show, I felt Silver hold onto my hand and I looked at him staring hard into the empty ice cream tub in his lap. Looks like I spoke too soon about his good mood. He's already going back to the incident.

"You haven't told anyone have you?" I guessed after a moment of silence.

"No and I'm sorry I let that happen to you Blaze." He spoke quietly but loud enough for me to hear. "I'll make sure that they pay for it."

"It's fine Silver. I'll be ok." I said in return.

"No. You're just a kid. They should've known better."

Sitting there watching the anger build up in his eyes… I couldn't let him go on like this.

"Silver, stop it. You'll miss the fireworks." I spoke to him in a strict tone.

Knowing that I was serious whenever I spoke that way, Silver cleared up and stopped whatever tears he wanted to cry. While I _was_ trying to get him to grow up a little and stop being a crybaby, I actually did it to stop myself from caving in to the suppressed feelings within me. Having fun during Garden Festival Week was a family tradition and I didn't want to ruin this year by making a scene. Besides, if I started crying now, I'd be letting out all of the anguish I've been holding in for almost a month. No, I can't ruin the festival. I can't ruin this happy memory.

* * *

_I'm pretty much creating an alternative Sonic world that just mixes in different elements from games, comics, cartoons, and whatever. So here, Mobius is a continent not the entire planet._


	4. Relief for the Future

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Blaze, Age 10_**  
Relief for the Future**

_August_  
As Silver kept his promise to see me during the festival, I kept mine and went to see him back in the old neighborhood the following month. Since it was a day trip to the pool, I wore my bathing suit under my summer clothes. At this point, a fresh coat of fur completely covered up the scars from my burn wounds. The plan was to meet up with Silver at his place and from there his parents would take us to the pool. Everything went just as planned and, in no time, I found myself being dragged by Silver through the crowded public pool park filled with families enjoying the water activities.

"They said they'd be hanging around the shallow pool…" Silver stopped and searched around while I broke free of his hand. "Oh! There they are!"

Suddenly we were off again shooting through the crowd as Silver rushed to his friends like a dog to its owner. I'm pretty sure I heard the lifeguard blow his whistle at us…or someone in general. I'm not a very athletic person so when we came to a stop I gladly took the opportunity to take a breather, hunching over with my hands on my knees.

"Hey man! You made it!" I heard one boy say. "We were running a bet on how late you were going to be and according to my watch…you're came in just shy of ten minutes. I believe that makes Honey the winner."

A girl's voice giggled excitedly while she clapped her hands and I finally regained my composure and straightened up.

"A bet? You guys were counting on me to be late?" It's kinda cute to see Silver's ears droop over when he's upset.

"No, no, no. It's nothing like that Silver." The green duck got up from his towel and threw an arm around Silver. "We were just entertaining ourselves until you got here. That's all."

"Well there's a big pool over there. You could've gone swimming until I got here."

"Are you nuts!? There's nothing but babies and brats in that one and we can't go in the big pool since Honey's not that good of a swimmer. Plus, there's nothing but annoying teens and stupid adults over there. Everybody will just suck up all the fun for us!"

This conversation just keeps getting more entertaining for me and I was hoping it would've gone longer had the large polar bear kid not pointed me out. After shoving the green duck off of him, Silver pulled me in close with his usual cheesy grin.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet my best friend. Her name is Blaze!"

When it comes to introductions, I wish that, just once, he would let me introduce myself. I really don't like being shoved into the spotlight so suddenly. All I did was smile sheepishly with a short wave and got the same gesture in return from the other three.

"She and I have been friends since forever!"

"Since kindergarten, actually." I said wiggling my way out of Silver's hold. "So not for very long."

Honey, the yellow cat with black hair, invited me to sit on her towel with her even though I had brought one of my own. How nice of her. She even complimented me on putting up with Silver's jumpy behavior for so long and, again, I could only smile. I hope he hasn't been torturing these guys in the short time they've been friends.

With all of us settled down, we decided to hold off a little on going in the pool. I just sat back and watched as they chatted on about whatever they've been doing during the summer. From what I witnessed, there's a very strong dynamic among them that enables them to get along well with each other, even with Silver's jumpy behavior. Bean, the green duck, was the most outspoken and "leader" of the group who always kept a cool attitude. Bark, the polar bear, was pretty quiet and reserved like me so I guess he did a lot of watching and only spoke when necessary. Honey was the fashion type since her bathing suit looked way cooler than mine, so that would make her the designated female friend of the group. Nice job Silver. You found yourself a well rounded unit. All that's missing is a brainy kid to explain the complicated stuff.

"You see, if I was running this pool park I'd have all the babies, teens, and adults outta here! Cool kids only, you know?" Bean announced proudly.

"Great idea Bean." Honey rolled her eyes. "Only loophole there is that when we're teens, then we won't be able to come to the pool park."

"Now, now, now. Let me finish." The duck pointed a rigid finger at the cat who just turned up her nose. "Then when _we_ become teens, then all the stupid kids will have to go and only us cool teens will be allowed into the pool…and any girlfriends I'll have at that point."

The other three laughed, and I giggled to myself at how bold this kid was. Obviously, it was all a joking discussion brought on by how crowded this place was but it was in good fun. Honey decided to get up then and pulled Silver to his feet eagerly.

"I think there are more people getting out. Let's go in!" she said and hurried to the shallow pool.

Bean and Bark followed while Silver stayed with me. I knew he wasn't going to try and drag me to the pool because he knows that I don't do well in crowded places. He probably just wanted to talk with me.

"So what do you think of my new friends?" he asked while I stood up to head to the cooler of food Silver's parents brought along.

"They're good for you. They'll keep an eye on you so I won't have to worry."

After some digging, I got out what was probably a turkey sandwich and proceeded to unwrap it.

"Yeah, I guess so. But they'll never replace you." I heard Silver say behind me.

He had me stumped on how to reply but it was definitely touching. So I asked him why was that.

"Because…you're you…and there's only one you." When I turned back towards Silver, he had that silly grin on his face. "No one would be special if there were copies of them wandering around. Ha!"

All I could do was agree with him and he rushed off to the shallow pool. While I sat on my towel and began to eat the slightly warm turkey sandwich, I had some thoughts that made me realize that Silver would be ok over here with his new friends. They pretty much covered all of the things he would need to work on: confidence, judgment, and responsibility. From what I saw, everything was in place to keep Silver occupied and I could work on getting my life back together in my new home. You know, make friends, get a fresh start, anything to put that awful event behind me. Silver won't have to rely on me for advice and I'll be able to sleep well at night knowing that he's maturing with the right help. In short, he won't need me anymore.

I swallowed the big bite I took out of the sandwich and gazed off into the distance.

"…Silver won't need me anymore…"

Wow… Can we really stay friends after this?


	5. Keeping Up with Introductions

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_New Beginnings_**  
Keeping Up with Introductions**

_September_  
It's amazing how parents are still caught off guard by back-to-school shopping. Had mom known that this store would be a jungle the week before school, I'm pretty sure she would've taken me shopping weeks earlier. Then again, the entire family needed to wind down after the move even though we still have more boxes to unpack. There's also the fact that more people live in on this side of town too.

In the midst of our frantic shopping, mom decided to take a breather and went to look through the shoe section. I wandered off to find a notebook, the last item on our list. After avoiding a bunch of kids and some fatigued store workers, I was back in the school supply aisle. The shelves were nearly bare but what was left wasn't too bad. I found a modest looking purple notebook sitting alone on the bottom shelf and claimed it as my own.

"Nice choice. Favorite color?" Some kid in red and white shoes had suddenly appeared next to me.

Upon standing, I came face to face with a blue hedgehog. Strange. I wonder if he knows that black hedgehog I saw during the Garden Festival…

"What's your name?" I asked skipping over his question.

"Sonic." For no reason he struck a cheesy pose. "Sonic the Hedgehog! And you?"

"Just Blaze and yeah I do like purple." Though not because it's the color of my fur.

"Cool. You must be new to town 'cause I know everyone in these parts and you're someone I've never met. Am I right or am I right?"

Funny. He's got an attitude but he's super cool about it. A very easy going personality. Unfortunately, he wasn't so right and I corrected him.

"I see." He had a hand on his chin as if he had made a brilliant discovery. "So you're from the vills."

"The what?"

And that was my introduction to some of the slang the kids on this side of town used. Apparently, where I came from was referred to as the vills, short for village since the area is a bit like a village. This side of town was the burbs, obviously short for suburban. As for the downtown area with the low-rise buildings…

"Just downtown. Nothing special." Sonic shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

From there, we chatted up about a few other things like my old neighborhood, my age, any other friends I had… It was kinda one-sided which didn't hit me until I found myself flipping through the pages of the spiral notebook in hand while chatting away about Silver. Luckily I caught myself and decided to turn the tables on him and ask about the black hedgehog. But Mr. Fast-Talker cut me off with another question.

"So what school are you going to? Public, private, or what?"

Now here's an opportunity to show my dry wit. Ask him what the "or what" option was but I wasn't really in a dry mood and wanted to get to the black hedgehog issue quickly.

"Private. St. Ives I think." With uniforms I believe.

"Excellent! Looks like I'll see you bright and early next Monday then."

It was then when we heard my mom calling me from beyond the aisle and I remembered that we still had to go shopping at a few others stores today. Mostly for fall clothes. Yeah, we're late shoppers on certain things. I had a quick second to ask about the black hedgehog before I had to leave so I turned back to Sonic.

"Hey, before I go, do you know a…black hedgehog?"

Where'd he go? There's no way anyone could leave that quickly and quietly. I would've picked it up with my slightly sensitive hearing. Again, mom called and I was left with having to wait until next week to see Sonic. You know, if he's really that fast then he may very well find me before I can even spot him from afar. Keeping up with him will definitely be frustrating.

* * *

Worst thing about our new home: it's an apartment, smaller than our old house. Best thing about our new home: I can still walk to school. Summer was obviously present and would be for a few more weeks but that's not the worst of my walk to school. This lousy uniform is! Considering that mom and I had to go to a specialty store to buy it, the material its made out of is pretty cheap. I've only been walking for five minutes and already I'm sweating in this short-sleeve, white shirt! This blue skirt isn't any better! What is this stuff made out of, paper?

Whatever. All of that aside, including the slightly painful black shoes, I got over it easily and made peace with the evil uniform. All around me I could see a few other kids wearing the same uniform. Little kids, older kids, and some annoying ones that I silently hoped weren't in the same grade as I was. If I recall correctly, this is one of those schools that start at kindergarten and go all the way up to high school. Must be a pretty big school…which I was wrong about. Up ahead of me, I could see the school come into view. It was kinda small…long in length with only one side of the building going up to a second floor and a bigger building in the back which must've been the gymnasium. Just watching all of these kids pour in from the area…filled my stomach with butterflies. Well, here goes.

Before I knew it, I was inside the school following the directions of the guiding teachers through the locker filled hallways. According to my schedule, my homeroom teacher was Miss Evert and her classroom was pretty easy to reach. Upon my approach of her classroom, I was shoved aside violently into a locker by some kid.

"Watch it slowpoke!" It was some green bird…and he stuck out his tongue at me.

Great. It hasn't been a full day and already I have an enemy? This is not my idea of a fresh start. Regardless, I went into the half-filled classroom and found a seat in the center. During roll call, I found out that my pushy classmate's name was Jet. Congratulations, you're the first name on my avoid list.

* * *

Lunch came just in time after a slew of morning classes that were nothing but note taking and boring teacher introductions. I followed the masses of my peers into the small lunch room filled with round tables instead of the long rectangular ones I recall from elementary. Deciding where to sit was a bit nerve wracking for me. It seemed like everyone knew where to go and I didn't get the memo. Thankfully, I didn't have to make that decision. A familiar someone approached me from behind with a hard slap on my back.

"Hey there! Long time no see!" Sonic cheerfully greeted and surprised me.

I wouldn't exactly say that it's been long enough to warrant such a greeting but I do have to ask what is up with hedgehogs and backslapping? First Silver and now this guy.

"H-hi." I coughed out.

"Sorry for bailing out on you so suddenly last week. Something came up."

"No problem. It's cool."

I followed Sonic to an empty table by the window. Then I noticed that he didn't have a lunch bag with him. He better not be a moocher. That speedy attitude of his is enough already. He never sat down but remained standing scanning the cafeteria for someone while I got started on my lunch. A friend to introduce me to? If so, then I hope they're a little less…eh than he is. It wasn't long before he spotted them and rushed off to retrieve him leaving me to start on my delicious tuna fish sandwich. Ah, there's nothing more subtle than the sweet, juicy taste of mom's special tuna fish and mayonnaise mix. You know…she could've put a little more—

"Hey Blaze! I'm back!"

The sudden sound of Sonic slamming his hands onto the table startled me enough to loose my grip on the sandwich. My heart started to crack a little as I watched my delicacy fly out of my hands and towards the doomed, dirty floor. Then my spirits were lifted when Sonic zoomed in and caught the sandwich for me, handing it back to me with a very characteristic grin…and an apology of course.

"Here's someone I thought you should meet. Since the two of you aren't big on talking, I figured you two could have half a conversation together."

The eager hedgehog forced his friend, a red echidna, into the seat across from me. The echidna looked a little older, a year maybe, and tried to smile a little as he clutched his brown lunch bag.

"Hi." I barely heard him say.

"Hey." I answered back.

…This is the part where the tumbleweed blows by metaphorically.

"Well that was interesting." Sonic rolled his eyes.

"S-sorry. I-I'm not really good with meeting new people." The echidna was fiddling with his lunch bag a little too much.

"That's fine. I'm new to this side of town so I'm a bit nervous myself." Seemingly satisfied, Sonic left the two of us alone. "Why don't you take off your backpack. Lunch won't be over for a while."

"Oh! Sure!" He started to remove his backpack but struggled with it. "By the way, my name is—whoa!"

I like the fact that this kid isn't like Sonic, but the complete opposite end of the spectrum is not any better. The short fall from his chair didn't do much aside from turn his face red when I looked under the table. He was fine and got back up with his backpack finally off and opened up his lunch bag.

"…Knuckles."

"What?" I looked at him.

"My name is Knuckles." He pulled out a mashed up sandwich and grimaced a bit.

Unusual way to finish a sentence but at least I know his name. Just a theory but I'm sure his name has something to do with those little spikes on his knuckles. I wonder if all echidnas have those since he's the first I've actually seen in real life as opposed to on TV and in books. Just then, my question was answered when Sonic returned with another echidna. A demure looking girl with peach colored fur and no spikes on her hands.

"I had to go out of my way but I found her heading towards the library. On the first day of school too! Talk about a hardcore bookworm!" Sonic playfully patted the girl on her head.

"I was going to meet a friend there." She started to explain.

"Yeah, yeah. You'll see them later on." Likewise with Knuckles, Sonic forced her into the seat next to the shy boy. "More importantly, I want you to meet Blaze. She just moved here from the vills."

A short wave was all we needed for a greeting.

"This is Tikal. I thought ol' Knucklehead here could use some help in talking to girls 'cause. Heh heh."

Sonic's little snicker afterwards sent red flags up for Knuckles and he was pretty quick to fume about it.

"I don't need help talking to girls Sonic!" Knuckles immediately rose to his feet. "And stop calling me Knucklehead!"

"Hey, hey. Let's use our inside voice, ok?" Sonic patronized his friend in a teacher-like manner. "Don't want to catch the attention of Tiara now do we?"

Almost immediately, Knuckles's cheeks flared up in a red deeper than his own fur. He was even quicker to sit back down and buried his face in his lunch bag. Talk about zeroing in on a weakness. I hop I wasn't befriended by the school bully.

"Don't worry Knuckles." Tikal came over and patted him on the head. "There was a recent survey that said that most people are more afraid of public speaking than anything else."

Interesting dynamic between these three; similar to that of Silver's friends. So does that mean the "three musketeers" format is more popular than the "dynamic duo" format? I wonder where I'll fit into this group if I'm accepted…

"Alright, since we got all of the formalities out of the way with you two, time to introduce a few other notable groups." Sonic came around to where I was and pointed to a rowdy table across the room. "That there is the jock table. Your typical muscle heads. In the middle, we have the popular girls table. Cheerleaders, pretty girls, etc. In the corner are the whiny emo kids, brainy kids over there. Rich kids, losers, teacher pets, geeks, tree huggers, and Jet…who's in a class of his own. See? Just like your typical teen drama."

Fascinating. Although since I've already made my claim on my new friends here, I doubt I'll be socializing with any of those groups. Nor do I care for teen dramas. Last time I checked, we're kids…or pre-teens or whatever. After finishing up my mother's delightful tuna fish sandwich, I mentioned in passing that I met Jet this morning.

"Is that so?" Sonic mused with a hand on his chin. "Well that's pretty 'Jet' of him to be that way so you may as well get used to it."

I love how this kid can spit out slang as if it's common place language and not care if anyone understands him. Going back to something said earlier…

"Hey Knuckles, who's Tiara?" I decided to ask the shy boy directly since Sonic has said enough already.

Instead, he just buried his head deeper into his lunch bag destroying whatever lunch he had at that moment. Tikal consoled him and, as expected, Sonic stepped in.

"Only the most popular girl in the junior high school wing." In a dramatic fashion, he pointed out the most attractive girl at the popular table. "Miss Tiara Boobowski. Straight 'A' sweetheart and the most sought after manx hottie by eighth grade bachelors."

May I interrupt here and ask why pre-teens, like us, insist on acting like adults? Seriously! First that Bean kid and now this. Continue.

"But that hasn't stopped Casanova over here from trying his luck with her. Even if he is a year younger." Sonic thumbed at Knuckles slyly.

Finally, Knuckles pulled his face out of his bag…which he probably shouldn't have done. Whatever he said then was completely ignored by the three of us as we broke out into simultaneous laughter. The poor echidna had no idea and only looked at us dumbfounded wondering where the punch line went. Tikal shed some light for him and cleaned off the peanut butter and jelly on his face.

"You know, Tiara likes a good laugh so you still have a fighting chance." Sonic managed to get out in between laughs.

Didn't change the fact that Knuckles was embarrassed and I felt he deserved a little comfort since he's spent most of this lunch period with his face in his bag.

"Relax Knuckles." I reached over and patted him gently on the back. "Tikal and I will do whatever we can to help you with Tiara. So don't feel so bad."

"Um thanks…" He seemed ok but still uneasy.

The rest of the period went by fast but not without me learning a few things about my new friends. Turns out Tikal and Knuckles are cousins living in the same neighborhood. Sonic knows a lot more people than in this school. Also, he and Jet have a rivalry thing going on. The last one I learned only because Jet stopped by our table and had at it with Sonic for a minute or so. The bell rang and we went off to our classes.

* * *

After school, the others caught up with me…not that I was expecting them to. Oddly enough, they all wanted to see where I lived…again totally unexpected and invading if I might add. I suppose there's no harm since, despite their quirks, they seemed like a real levelheaded bunch.

"You know there's one more guy I wanted to introduce you to Blaze, but he's hard to catch since he's always busy." Sonic scanned he schoolyard as we left. "Oh well. I'm sure we'll run into him sooner or later."

Just after we left the school grounds, a familiar kid was waiting for us on the path to my home. It was that black and red hedgehog. Why did it seem like he was waiting for us? And, of all places, on the route back to _my_ home? The others stopped and so did I. Knuckles whispered something to Sonic who immediately told the cousins to leave. This can't be good. Sonic stepped back and pulled me close to him.

"Stay close Blaze. I'll try to get you home." He spoke in a tone that seemed unnatural for him.

"Who's that?" At last, I could get an answer as to who the creepy kid was.

"Shadow. Someone I suggest you definitely avoid. He's nothing but a troublemaker…and weird on top of that."

The weird is a given with a stare like his. Tikal and Knuckles were already gone at this point and that was when Shadow decided to approach the two of us. Suddenly my eyes were playing tricks on me. Another kid appeared out of thin air alongside him…a chameleon? Personally, I don't believe in ghosts but since Sonic was relaxed after the new guy's appearance, I could assume that he wasn't dead. Sonic walked towards Shadow, intent on meeting him halfway, but the black hedgehog just shoved the blue one out of the way like he was nothing. The chameleon held back Sonic, who wanted to come back to me, while Shadow approached, a smile growing on his face. I couldn't help but play back that horrible memory from a few months back and felt the terror rise within me. When Shadow reached me…he took my hand and held it gently in his, still smiling.

"I hope things over here aren't too startling for you." His voice was so…mature and smooth. "It's a vast difference from…the vills, but you'll soon see that the people over here are no different than those in your former neighborhood. We are all Emerald Town residents after all. My name is Shadow the Hedgehog and if you're ever lost, don't be afraid to ask for my assistance."

"That's enough of that buddy!" Sonic ended the unusual introduction by shoving Shadow out of the way. "Blaze doesn't need to worry about getting lost, she has a mind of her own. In fact, why don't you and Espio do us all a favor and disappear completely. You're not exactly a socialite and I doubt girls will be throwing themselves at your feet anytime soon."

The idea of throwing Mr. Creepy out, in general, seemed more appealing to me. Shadow just scoffed it off and went back to Espio.

"We should get together sometime, Blaze, and talk. Exchange stories and whatnot. I think you might know something that'll interest me."

I…I clutched my shirt, gently, and held those persistent memories down. Sonic defended me some more with words that obviously fell on deaf ears as Shadow and Espio left going off in another direction. The two of us continued on back to the apartment complex though whatever Sonic had to say went in one ear and out the other.

I can fight this. I know I'm strong enough. I won't let it get to me…ever.

* * *

_St. Ives is based off the private school I went to...though it didn't have a second floor._


	6. The Echidnas

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_New Beginnings_**  
The Echidnas**

_September_  
One experience that was new to me on this side of town was sleepovers. Back in the old neighborhood, there wasn't much need for them because Silver was my only friend. Seeing him at school was enough for me. The sleepover was specifically for Tikal's birthday shortly after the start of the school year. Being my first sleepover experience, I was a little anxious but in a good way. Turns out it was also Tikal's first sleepover and she was just as excited… Ok, that's a bit of an understatement.

The second I stepped out of dad's car with my small suitcase, a shriek filled the air and made my fur stand on end. Looking towards the front porch of the huge house, I saw Tikal running towards me excitedly…at least I think it was Tikal. Luckily for me, she was a lightweight so her exuberant tackle/hug wasn't too bad for me to handle. She was nice enough to let go before I had to pry her off and I approached the front porch. Her mother, an echidna just as pretty and elegant looking with fur as peachy as Tikal's, greeted me and talked with my dad who gave me one last hug before I followed Tikal into the house.

If my jaw could stretch long enough to the floor, it probably would've done so the second I stepped through the threshold. Her house was…beautiful. Clean, tidy, and decorated with all sorts of exotic furniture. Are her parents historians or artifact collectors? Some of the stuff looked a little familiar, like I've seen it in a book or maybe on TV on one of those ruin expedition shows. It seemed like Tikal's family may have a lot of respect in being echidnas; there's so many echidna motifs on this stuff.

"Interested?" Tikal asked while I was inspecting a small vase painted with stiff looking echidnas in hieroglyphic fashion.

"Well, it's just…why does all of this stuff look familiar?" I was careful to back away so as to not breathe on the vase in case it was _that_ old.

"It's remnants of the Echidna Civilization from a thousand years ago…well maybe not all of them." That's it! That's where I've seen this stuff from! "I'm not sure since I don't know where my parents got these things but considering the fact that the worldwide echidna population has been shrinking for decades—"

"Your parents want to keep the culture alive and well for future generations." I stood up straight and looked at Tikal. "Yeah, I actually remember reading a little about that in history class last year. About how echidnas used to be the largest Mobian race until a great catastrophe destroyed a lot of them two thousand years ago."

She smiled, probably impressed at how much I knew, and we started to head upstairs to her room continuing our discussion on echidnas and stuff. I gotta be honest, during most of the talk, I couldn't get over how big her house was compared to my old home. Tikal had clued in on the fact that I was more interested in her house and offered a tour. Four bedrooms; two guest rooms, one her room, and the other her parents'. Four bathrooms in the entire house, the fourth in her parents' bedroom with their own jacuzzi. Let's see…family room, kitchen, dining room, and a den with an additional two rooms used for whatever they want. Absolute madness for a small family to live in a house so big!

With the tour done, it was time for lunch which Tikal's mom had prepared already for my visit. I can see where Tikal gets her studious and timely behavior from. With my first impressions done and the rest of the Friday afternoon left to do whatever, I can easily say that I am definitely starting off on the right foot with friends. That and I will most definitely enjoy the party if the party entertainment is just as big and grandiose as the home.

* * *

Saturday morning started off pretty relaxingly. I didn't sleep in as late as I usually did on weekends since Tikal's excitement over the party forced me to get up. I'm sure she didn't mean to make too much noise as she went about following her mom around the house but it's her day so I'll let it go. By the time I got up, washed, and groggily made my way downstairs, breakfast was waiting on the table with Tikal and her parents waiting for my arrival.

"A little too early for you Blaze?" her mom asked as I sat next to the birthday girl.

"Not at all." I stretched getting the last bit of sleep out of me. "This is ok for me."

Breakfast was short and sweet while her parents discussed the contents of the party. Seemed like most of the party guest would be neighbors so I wasn't exactly sure as to how many other kids our age would attend. Knuckles was on the guest list as well, however his situation was a bit peculiar.

"We'll have to walk down to his house and pick him up a little later." Tikal explained. "It's not too far from here."

"Ok…but why?" I pushed my empty plate away from me.

"His stepmother's rules."

The table fell eerily quiet afterwards as if no one had anything else to add or didn't want to elaborate. Being a guest, I didn't want to tread into uncomfortable territory so I just excused myself from the table and Tikal followed suit. Back in her room, she took it upon herself to explain a little bit more about Knuckles's situation.

"Sorry about what happened in the kitchen Blaze." Tikal said after closing her bedroom door. "We usually tend to avoid talking about _her_ around other people."

"Why? What's wrong with her?"

From there, she went into some detail about the stepmother. Apparently the woman was a perfectionist. Always looking perfect with not a hair out of place, had the nicest things anyone could own, and a perfect house that stood out the most among the big houses in the neighborhood. She came into the family when Knuckles was two years old since his birthmother died just after he was born and, despite the fact that she rarely got along with any other relatives, she was accepted wholeheartedly. Tikal never understood why and the only answer she got out of her parents was that she was family and family should always be embraced. I guess that makes sense since the entire echidna population is almost nonexistent at this point.

Anyway, because of the stepmother's personality, Knuckles lives a pretty sheltered life. Strict curfew, strict rules about going outside, and has to dress up for dinner even if the two of them only eat for a few minutes. Tikal recalled one time when her family went to have dinner with them after her uncle, Knuckles's father, died five years ago.

"It was ok until after dinner. I remember going to Knuckles's room afterwards to play with him and, all of the sudden, we heard the adults yelling downstairs. I got really scared and Knuckles did too. Then my mom came in looking upset and took me out of the house. My dad had a bruise on his face from where Mrs. Echidna punched him."

"Mrs. Echidna?" I sat back against the side of Tikal's bed.

"Yeah, I'm only allowed to address her as such. Anyway, ever since then my parents barely speak to her and when I ask about that night, they don't say much aside from 'she's family so we must embrace her'. I honestly don't get it. What were they fighting about?"

Could've been anything. If that woman really is that bad of a monster, I could see why Knuckles is so shy of girls. The one woman he lives with probably scares him to death. In preparation for our short walk down the street to get Knuckles, Tikal explained to me a few basic rules when meeting the stepmother. To summarize, I couldn't talk to her unless spoken to; had to look nice or at least seem put together; always address her as "ma'am"; never go into her house unless invited in (which was highly unlikely). Basically, Tikal would be doing most of the talking and all I had to do was play statue and smile politely. Why does it feel like I'm being prepped for a diplomatic meeting?

The time came and around noon, Tikal and I headed out down the street to where Knuckles lived. From afar, I could spot the disgustingly perfect house he and the stepmother lived in. A beautiful burgundy sedan in the driveway, crisply cut lawn, the house painted with a white that seemed brighter than all the other white houses. Every single detail right down to the flower boxes in the window was perfect and I felt as if lightning would strike me if I were to graze a blade of grass.

Up the driveway and up the small, cement path to the front porch, I stood behind Tikal while she rang the doorbell and counted the tense seconds in my head. Seven seconds later, the doorknob behind the white screen door opened and a young, sharply dressed female echidna stood on the other side of the screen eyeing us both. I wondered just how young she was 'cause she looked like a magazine model. Glittering gold jewelry adorning her hands and neck and wild but kept hair swept off to the side of her face nearly masking one eye. Don't stare, don't stare!

"Good afternoon Mrs. Echidna." Tikal spoke clearly while I held in my breath. "Is Knuckles ready to leave?"

"Yes. He'll be down in just a moment." A cold and curt tone just as I expected.

She disappeared into the house calling out Knuckles's name and from my vantage point I could see a little into the living room. Something green and glittering inside a glass door cabinet caught my eye. Somehow I'm not surprised. Tikal's family seemed pretty wealthy and, naturally, Knuckles's family looked the same. I could hear footsteps coming down the stairs in the house and Mrs. Echidna scolding Knuckles about running. Then he appeared at the door with a halfhearted smile and came outside joining the two of us on the porch.

"Be sure to bring him back by six o'clock this evening." His stepmother said as she closed the screen door.

"We will ma'am." Tikal took Knuckles by the hand and the three of us quickly left the front porch.

Once far enough from the frigid home, all of us let out that baited breath we were holding back. All of the sudden, without any invitation, Knuckles divulged to us his "awful" morning with the stepmother like he was finally able to release the grief he was holding in. Up bright and early at seven this morning, had a quiet breakfast, reading exercises of ancient echidna text, cleaning, and then we came and "rescued him". His words, not mine. Tikal took a second to whisper to me that this was usually what their walks to school were like. She would get him and he would pretty much say all he would need to say for the entire day. Interesting habit.

Once back at the warming atmosphere of Tikal's home, Knuckles seemed to be completely depleted of any misery and entered into the house greeting his aunt and uncle happily. I kinda like seeing him this way. It's unusual but in a good way. From there, any short term memories of meeting his stepmother were wiped away from my mind rather quickly. The echidnas and I worked together to set up all of the food and small decorations, which didn't take that long, and before we knew it the first guest was at the front door. The party started and the cousins and I headed down into the den to hang out and watch TV.

A few other kids joined us over time, some from Tikal's classes or nearby neighbors, and they were a nice add on to the social interactions. But the party really didn't get started for us until Sonic came down the stairs and tackled Knuckles from behind disrupting the circle we had formed. Thankfully, they missed the little piece of cake I had left sitting in front of me. The two rowdy boys did the rest of us a favor and separated themselves heading out to the backyard. Tikal and I joined them minutes later.

"Wow, I didn't think so many of the kids in the neighborhood would stop by." Tikal said sliding the glass door closed behind her.

"Well you have awesome parents so I'm sure when they asked their neighbors the word went out naturally." I said to her.

"Naturally?" Sonic had suddenly appeared scaring me a little. "More like expected. Her parents are loaded, smart, and pretty popular in this part of town. I mean, come on! Echidnas are a rarity these days, no offense Tikal."

"None taken." The small girl smiled cutely.

"So yeah, a lot of people kinda take an interest in them whenever they're around. Especially Tikal's parents since they're well educated in the history of echidnas."

Ah ha. So they _are_ historians.

"In fact, I bet that right now your parents are in the living room with all of your neighbors talking to them about ancient artifacts and all the cool places they've been to since they're historians who eat up that kind of stuff." Sonic felt the need to make so many unnecessary motions while talking.

"Well they do like learning more about the Echidna Civilization but I doubt everyone puts them on a pedestal like that." Again, Tikal tried her best to downplay Sonic's overblown explanation of her parents. I take it she hates the spotlight.

The glass door opened as some of the other kids came out and enticed us to a game of tag, much to my relief. Ok, so while I do like having Sonic as a friend, I don't like his endless, overblown, narcissistic way of speaking. It's like he doesn't know when to stop. It was an easy lure for Sonic and Tikal was dragged in by some of her neighbors, but as for Knuckles I stopped him to ask him a quick question.

"Hey. When we came to get you from your place, I saw this green thing inside your living room. What was that?" I took notice to the uneasy look that suddenly appeared on his face as if a bad memory was resurfacing.

"Oh that? Um…that used to belong to my dad. It's really old and it's been in the family for generations. When he died, mother inherited it." His shoulders were hunched up as he explained.

"Cool. So it's a glass gem or something? That thing looked too huge to be an actual jewel."

"I-I don't know. Blaze, could we stop talking about it. It kinda bothers me to talk about it."

I didn't mean to make him so uncomfortable. I thought he was just getting shy again having to talk to me without Sonic or Tikal present so I let him join the others. You know, if Knuckles is so uneasy about that gem, I can probably bet that was the reason for the big fight between his stepmother and Tikal's parents years ago. Judging by his stepmother's overall appearance, I'd say she's the type that's pretty comfortable with loads of money to live off of which could only mean that the green jewel _has_ to be real! It explains the fight perfectly! Wait…so is Knuckles is the richest kid in town? I think I'm starting to see why his stepmother keeps him scared stiff and on a short leash.

* * *

The party began to die down just as quickly as it got started once the sun began to sink towards the horizon. Guest left one by one wishing Tikal's family well as I and the others sat in the living room marveling over the grand presents she received. I don't want to sound jealous but it's pretty insensitive to the underprivileged that those with a higher status get treated with lavish gifts when all of that money could be spent on helping those without anything. Social commentary aside, the party was pretty sweet and one that I will certainly cherish being apart of the middle class. Tikal, right on cue, downplayed the upper-middleclass extravagance of her birthday celebration when Sonic and I went on about what our ideal birthday parties would be like. Soon, it came time for Sonic to leave and one glance at the clock sent Knuckles back into the depressed state he was in this morning.

"We should get going. Even though mother said that I had to be home by six, I'm sure she wants me back earlier." The cheeriness in his voice was totally gone now.

I wish there was something I could do to help him so he wouldn't have to go home to that cold-hearted monster but…well it's just not my place to do so. I've only known these two for a few days so what could I possibly change? Anyway, the trek back to his home was…short. In no time, the three of us stood before the red front door behind the white screen door of Knuckles's home and he seemed hesitant to ring the doorbell. Tikal pushed it for him just to get it over with.

"Don't worry. I'll be here to get you Monday morning for school." I heard her whisper to him.

Her cousin only nodded but, since I stood behind them, I couldn't see what his facial expression was. I'm pretty sure it was somewhere along the lines of dismal. The front door opened. The stepmother appeared and opened up the screen door guiding Knuckles back in and into her reach. His figure disappeared into the dimly lit living room without a glance back.

"Thank you for bringing him back on time." she said despite it being fifteen minutes before six. "Your birthday party was enjoyable?"

"Yes ma'am." Tikal spoke in her crisp and clear voice. "I'll see you on Monday morning. Good night."

The second the stepmother took to glance at me, I made sure that I was smiling enough so that she would hopefully remember me as someone acceptable enough to grace her presence. Tikal and I left hearing the front door close behind us and walked in a stilted silence back to her home. The cold autumn air lingered in the atmosphere.

* * *

That night, as Tikal and I settled in for sleep, her on her comfy twin-sized bed and I in my sleeping bag on the floor, my mind wandered back to the green gem in the glass cabinet. To think that the stepmother only married Knuckles's father for a chance at owning the object seemed plausible. To go as far as to think that she may have murdered him, indirectly, to obtain ownership of the gem faster is plausible but only beyond the line of insanity. Even though my parents try to keep me from watching certain programs on TV, there are times when I catch glimpses of stories, either fictional or on the news, of kids who grow up wealthy on the outside but are abused behind closed doors. I'm not stupid enough to ask Tikal if there's a chance that Knuckles is abused since it's obvious from her parents that echidnas keep close ties with each other. That's a line I definitely won't cross with this family. Still, to see him go from miserable to joyful within seconds of leaving that place makes me wonder what that woman does to him aside from what he tells Tikal on their walks to school. I'm not in love. I'm just curiously worried because…that's just who I am.

I suppose it goes without saying that the next day at Tikal's home, Sunday, was relatively short. Got up, had a nice breakfast, and then my mom came by in dad's car to pick me up. Once again, Tikal showed me her enthusiasm over my visit by giving me another near chocking hug and was grateful for my present despite it being the least flashy of all of her gifts. An autumn hat. Got into the car and went home with mom. I'll go ahead and mention that Silver called when I go home, courtesy of my grandfather who gave his parents our new number. From what we talked about, it sounds like he's doing fine with his new friends… Why do I get the feeling that he's leaving something out? It wouldn't be the first time that kid lied by omission. Well, for his sake whatever he chose not to tell me better not be something serious.


	7. Knuckles: The Long Walk

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_New Beginnings_**  
Knuckles: The Long Walk**

_October_  
When the school bell rang at the end of the day, I could only sigh as I gathered my things and headed out to my locker in the hallway. Before I knew it, I was out the front doors watching all the other kids around me go home happily. Where is she? I heard her call my name from the entrance and looked back to see Blaze running towards me.

"Sorry. You weren't out here waiting for long were you?" she said.

"N-no. I just got out here." Don't make too much eye contact! "You ready?"

"Yeah."

She led the way and I eventually swallowed my fear and was able walk alongside Blaze after leaving the school grounds. The reason Tikal isn't with us is because she's been sick for the past two days. Sonic walked with me back home on the first day, I walked by myself on the second day, today I'm with Blaze, and tomorrow I might be walking home alone again…or with Tikal if she gets better. Yeah, I know someone my age shouldn't need to be walked home by friends but…it's one of mother's rules. I have to walk home with someone since walking alone isn't safe. Maybe she'll let up a little when I'm in high school.

Considering that it's Blaze I'm with, I kinda wish that Tikal would stay at home for the rest of the week. That way I get to walk home with Blaze again tomorrow and Friday. No, no. She might get suspicious if I start to enjoy our walks home a little too quickly. Gotta stay discreet…or at least inconspicuous.

Everything was pretty quiet between us aside from the occasional question about school and what my teachers are like since I'm a grade higher than Blaze. Soon it became completely silent and while she may have been uncomfortable with it, I liked the silence. Then my stomach had to growl. Gosh, why in front of her?

"Hungry?" Blaze glanced at her watch. "You know, we could run back to the school and catch the local bus to the shopping plaza if we go now. You do have enough bus fare right?"

An afternoon lunch with Blaze? Yeah, I wouldn't mind that since lunch period was a little disruptive for me with Sonic running about and talking to us sporadically. Finally, I can get a chance to sit with Blaze and not be bothered! We could talk about more than just school stuff. I could get to know her better. Ever since the start of school last month, I've always felt that Blaze and I had a lot in common in terms of personality and we could be great friends if we talked more often. Tikal knows me really well but only because we're family and Sonic…well I like him since he's a great friend but at the same time he gets on my nerves too often. That was when I started to dig into my pockets and even took off my backpack to see if I had any more spare change…but then I thought about mother. She might've come home early from work so she would be expecting me to come home at the usual time. If I went out to the plaza for lunch, even if it was with a friend, I'm sure mother would scold me and punish me with more chores when I got home. Or worse, she would drive around, look for me herself, and then embarrass me in public.

"No, that's ok. I should get home and get started on my chores. Mother doesn't like it when my chores aren't done when she comes home from work."

I felt embarrassed having to admit that but it's true. Mother really is strict about me doing my part in taking care of the house.

"Oh, ok. Maybe some other time."

I know she's not upset or a mean person but I hope Blaze doesn't think I'm some baby even though I'm older than her. I just don't like arguing with mother. The two of us were getting closer to my neighborhood when we heard someone shouting behind us. Why did I bother looking back? He does this so often that I should at least expect it on the way home. Sonic caught up to us like he always did after school almost everyday. I'm sure he was probably goofing around with Jet and then took off to catch up with us.

"Hey! I was going to meet up with you guys after school but Jet started messing around with me as soon as the bell rang."

Figures.

"So what's up? Another boring day I assume?" Sonic got in between Blaze and I with his arms around our necks.

The two of them went on about their boring day while I listened wishing that Sonic would leave soon. I suppose I could've joined in on the conversation but…I just really want to be alone with Blaze. Not that I would do anything to her! I just want to get to know her better…so we could be friends. Then again, maybe I should be careful this time around. When I started doing the same with Tiara last year, it only led to that embarrassing event in the spring. I know the entire school didn't see it but it certainly didn't take long before word got around and almost everyone in junior high was teasing me. Why didn't I convince mother to let me stay home the following week? I should've faked being sick. Right there in the middle of another thought, I felt Sonic shove me a little. Does he really have to be so pushy with me?

"Hello? Are you in there Knucklehead?" Swatting him away was a good enough answer. "Sheesh. So like I was saying, I'm planning on gathering up a whole group to go out trick-or-treating on Halloween. You two in? Oh and ask Tikal about it too."

"I'll do it if my parents allow me," Blaze said.

"I uh…"

Another opportunity to be with her! …Then again, mother doesn't allow me to go out after dark. I could start asking today and if I keep it up she might cave in and let me go, especially if Tikal decides to go. On the other hand, it could just lead up to another argument between us…and then she'll ground me again like the last time we argued. Ugh, thinking about the last time always gives me chills. Better play it safe.

"I'll pass. It might be hard to convince mother to change her mind on my curfew," I said.

"Geez man! You're twelve-years-old!" Sonic jumped out in front of us. "That old bag's gotta learn how to let go of you every once in a while!"

"Mother is not an old bag! Take that back!"

Occasionally Sonic says something that just ticks me off to no end and there have been times where we've almost got into a fight. The thing is though, he just moved to town January of this year. I grabbed Sonic by the collar of his shirt but Blaze was quick to move in and separate us. He seemed pretty eager to fight…then again he's pretty eager to do anything since I'm sure life is all fun and games in his head.

"Easy guys! Just calm down." Blaze made sure we were both a good distance from each other. "It's not a big deal Knuckles. If you can't come with us on Halloween then that's fine with me. We'll just bring you some candy the next day, right Sonic?"

He muttered something while crossing his arms but I was nice enough to let that go since Blaze was with us. Sonic started to walk away saying that he would see us tomorrow and I was more than happy to see him run off down the street. Finally, some one on one time with Blaze but it may be short since we were almost at my house. I have to think of something to say to her. Something that'll start a conversation! But what...

"Hey, I know you didn't like talking about it last time but…that green gem."

That again? Blaze…

"I know it's not my business or anything but is it like some priceless artifact that's worth millions? I only ask because Tikal told me about a fight her parents had with your stepmother and I figured—"

"JUST STOP IT!"

No! What did I do?! Ok relax…calm down…count to ten…and back away! I _cannot_ touch a girl! Why did she have to go there? Couldn't she have asked about something else like favorite movies, sports, even shoes!

"Knuckles?" I looked back…and Blaze seemed concerned…or frightened. It's kinda hard to tell since I'm a little jittery right now. Wait. How long has it been since she spoke? Crap! I can't let this silence go on for two long or she'll get the wrong idea.

"You know, I'll just head on home from here. Your house is right down the street so you should be ok." Stop her. Stop her!

"Blaze, stop!" She turned back to face me. "I…I didn't mean to scare you like that."

She returned to my side and we walked down the street towards my house. Somehow I didn't feel so nervous about being around her anymore.

"I just get that way when anyone asks about the emerald. Actually, you're the only one that's asked about it since you're the only person, aside from Tikal, that's been to my house," I said.

"And Tikal hasn't asked about it all of these years? Even though she can see it from your front door every time she goes to your house," Blaze said.

Anyone who gets to know our family, or echidnas in general, will immediately find out that we're…a little complex. I started to explain that echidnas often kept to ourselves when it came to family problems. Hiding away any dark secrets or personal feelings just to keep up appearances and that sort of stuff. It wasn't a real widespread thing for all echidnas, just those apart of the Knuckles Clan. We just feel that it's important for us to stick with our own kind seeing as how we're a race on the verge of extinction.

"Wow. So you and Tikal are a part of the famous Knuckles Clan? I remember studying about them a little back in elementary."

Famous? I don't think we're _that_ special…

"We're not really part of the clan so to speak." I hadn't planned on giving her a history lesson of my people…then again the echidna history taught in schools is inaccurate to begin with. "To be honest, echidna clans don't exist these days. They're a moot point since they were only used for the sake of claiming territory. The bloodlines have muddied so much over the centuries that only a few purebloods exist. For example, I'm a pureblood descendent of the Knuckles Clan. Tikal isn't."

I stopped and removed my backpack to take out the picture of the day I was born which had my parents and Tikal's parents in it.

"You see her dad and my dad are twins. So she's actually half Knuckles Clan, half…Desert Clan? I forgot what my aunt is but that's the short of it."

Blaze wanted to look at the picture for a little longer so I let her…which was the strange part. I really cherished the only photo of my original family. So much that I rarely ever took it out for fear of someone ruining it, specifically Sonic. Is it ok for me to let my guard down so easily with Blaze? She handed the photo back to me and we continued our stroll towards my house.

"So how many pureblood clans exist these days?" she said.

"I'm not really sure of the exact number. Some of them are so reclusive and small that they still live in jungles and backwater places, but there can't be too many left. Knuckles and Nocturnus purebloods are the most prominent with Desert right behind them," I answered.

I didn't think I would be able accomplish it so soon but…we're actually getting to know each other. Well, Blaze is getting to know more about me but whatever! Everything feels so great right now! I'm relaxed, Blaze is relaxed, and we even avoided talking about the emerald which was good since mother never wants me to talk to anyone about it. Come to think of it…what the heck is it? Dad said he would tell me one day but he died and I, obviously, can't ask mother since she always gets agitated when talking about the emerald. Maybe I should try asking my uncle about it. Surely he knows what it is and why it's been in the family for generations.

"So about that emerald…" Crap, she's right back on it. "I remember you saying that it's been in your family for generations. That wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you're a Knuckles pureblood, would it?"

"Um…maybe? I really don't know anything more about it other than what I've told you. Really!" She started to give me a suspicious look as if I was hiding something.

At last, Blaze let up and we kept on walking. Whew! That was a relief…but the feeling didn't last too long. Up ahead I could see mother's car in the driveway. Sh-she came home early. I hadn't noticed that I had stopped walking until Blaze tugged on my arm. Her encouragements didn't phase me much. The fear within me came back like a vengeful storm and my confidence was out of reach at this point.

"What's wrong Knuckles?" I heard Blaze say. "You're home on time, right? So let's go."

"Uh, right." I allowed her to tow me towards the drive way while I dragged my feet.

The house was getting too close too fast for my comfort. I wished anything would happen at that moment to justifiably distract us. A car accident, some commotion from our neighbors, anything! Instead, the opposite occurred at the worst moment. Mother came out to check the mailbox and stopped midway in the driveway to see Blaze still holding onto my wrist. Gah! Her rules, her rules! I worked up enough courage to break away from Blaze (gently of course!) and walked ahead to the driveway. Stepmother met us out at the sidewalk.

"Thank you for walking him home. I was told that Tikal would be well enough to attend school tomorrow," mother said to Blaze.

"Your welcome ma'am. I'll see you tomorrow at school Knuckles." Blaze left…mother retrieved the mail and walked me inside our home.

"Start on your afternoon chores and then do your homework. I'll call you down when dinner is ready," she said heading for the kitchen while I walked towards the stairs.

Just as I walked passed the glass case holding the green emerald, which was about the size of a softball, I couldn't help but wonder. I knew mother didn't like talking about it but I'm also not allowed to use the telephone either so I can't ask my uncle right away. Maybe I'll give it a shot. She might be in a good mood today…though it's really hard to tell what her emotions are in general.

"M-mother?" My voice was a little weak but she stopped anyway at the kitchen door. "I know you told me to never ask about it but…what is that emerald? I think I'm old enough to know since dad said—"

…She slapped me. Just like the last time I asked, she slapped me. Just walked right over and right across my face. It hurt and I wanted to cry but I didn't knowing that tears agitated mother as well since I'm supposed to be the "man of the house".

"Why do you want to know that? Why?! So you can tell your little girlfriend?" The grip she had on my arm…her nails were close to piercing my skin. "There's no reason for you to know what it is right now! No reason, you hear me?"

Again she slapped me and started to drag me up the stairs.

"No one else needs to know of that emerald!" She tugged my arm so hard it should've popped out of its socket. "Not a single person unless you want the clan to fall apart! Do you want that?! Huh?!"

"No!" Don't cry. Hide the tears.

"Dammit. I should've forced your father to move us out of the godforsaken town. You need to be with your own kind, not these nosy, money grubbing, selfish barbarians!"

We reached the door to my "other room". The room with only a lamp, no window, and several locks on the door. It used to be dad's study but now it's where I go when I'm grounded. Mother ripped my backpack from my hand and shoved me into the room.

"For gods sake Knuckles, when are you going to learn from your father's mistakes? He squandered among outsiders and look where it got him…dead! Stop your crying!" Another slap to my tear streaked face. "Keep up the stupidity and you'll not only get us all killed but send the rest of this power-hungry world into chaos! Tomorrow you're going to break-up with that girlfriend of yours even if you don't want to!"

The door slammed; the sound pierced my ears and shook my chest. Next came the sounds of mother frantically locking every lock on the door, all seven of them, and encasing me in total darkness. I felt around, tears falling from my eyes in rivers, and finally felt the narrow and smooth body of the lamp and switched it on. Its bright bulb was watery…everything was watery. The room was small…I was small. I sat against the wall hugging my knees and buried my face.

Mother is right. Mother is always right. That emerald is dangerous. The world is dangerous. Outsiders are dangerous…especially girls. Therefore, Blaze is dangerous. Why Blaze? Why did you do this to me?

* * *

_This'll branch off into a side-story later on down the road._


	8. A Night of Characters

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_New Beginnings_**  
A Night of Characters **

_October_  
Just when I thought I was getting Knuckles to come out of his shell a few weeks ago, he went right back in the next day. Although, he seemed even more shy than usual. Almost to the point where I was sure he was avoiding me intentionally. Tikal couldn't figure it out either since she couldn't get a word out of him herself. Why do I suddenly have the urge to go to his stepmother and demand some answers from her? Anyway, it's Halloween night and, just like Sonic proposed, he would be going out trick-or-treating with an army of his closets friends. If that army were real then it would lose any war in the blink of an eye since I can only do so much on my own. Yeah, it's just him and me since everyone else he sent out an invite to had "other plans". His quotes, not my own.

"I can't believe it! I'm telling you Blaze, there were a ton of us on board for this night and suddenly they all bailed out on me last week! It's a conspiracy I tell ya!" He ranted again for the third or fourth time.

By now, I was getting used to giving Sonic my "Silver treatment" of just nodding along with whatever he had to say. Regardless of any real conspiracy, I doubt I would've had this much candy if all of Sonic's buddies came with us tonight. There's no way mom and dad will let me keep all of this. Oh and if you're wondering about costumes, forget it. I'm not big on dressing up in silly outfits and I'm pretty sure Sonic was too bummed out by the eventual skimpy turnout for the trick-or-treat night so we're just keeping it casual. Though we did see some pretty creative costumes roaming the streets and walked by one place that was having a loud party in the backyard. The night went on and Sonic's mood finally lightened up enough for him to get into the spirit and dragged me to as many houses as we could go to in the neighborhood. Our bags bulged up so quickly that I feared that we would have to end the night early.

"Nonsense! I could race you back to your place, dump the candy, and be right back here to continue our mission!" Sonic declared after we left a very generous house.

Perhaps he's getting into this a little too much. In no time, the two of us made our way around to Tikal and Knuckles's neighborhood where the hand outs were so good there were lines of kids at a couple of houses which touched on one of Sonic's main pet peeves. Waiting. Since Tikal decided not to come because of her studies, we decided to stop by her place by surprise. Upon approaching the cutely decorated house with innocent looking Halloween ornaments, we could hear music coming from inside and what seemed to be a living room filled with guests. There weren't too many extra cars in the driveway and parked out in front of the house so I could only assume that, like Tikal's birthday party, the guests were mostly neighbors. My companion must've made the same deduction for I glanced over and was amused at his fuming face.

"Relax Sonic. I'm sure Tikal has a reasonable explanation for all of this." I said guiding him to the front door with a hand on his back.

The doorbell ranged and in a few seconds Tikal answered dressed up as a medieval princess with a bowl of candy in her hand. She was beaming at first but the smile quickly faded when she realized that it was just us. The rapid tapping of Sonic's foot could be heard over the music and partygoers.

"Oh, hi guys." Her cheeks cutely turned red while her shoulders hunched up. "How's the weather tonight?"

Before Sonic had a chance to explode his obviously growing anger, I immediately turned him away from the door and led him out into the yard. It was there where I convinced him to keep his cool and run a few laps around the block. Twenty to be exact. Grumbling and mumbling, the hedgehog agreed if only to keep his "easy-going" reputation intact and gave his bag of candy to me. I returned to the porch to chat with Tikal who had completely stepped outside, bowl of candy in hand and the front door closed but unlocked.

"Don't worry about Sonic." I reassured her and her face returned to its soft colors. "The group trick-or-treat was a bust anyway since everyone else cancelled out at the last minute."

"Oh, I see." She sat on the steps and I joined her. "Well, I was being honest with you two when I said that I would focus on my studies tonight but this whole party came up at the last minute."

Sonic jogged by the house on his first lap around the block and disappeared around the corner in seconds.

"One of my father's co-workers is quitting and moving to Mobotropolis where he got a better job offer. So my parents decided to throw a special 'Going Away' party and decided to do it tonight to double it up as a Halloween party. I honestly wasn't keeping this a secret. It was put together this past weekend and I just went along with it!"

"Alright, I believe you Tikal." I said settling her down again. "I completely understand. Even I would choose a last minute party over studying if given the chance."

"Actually, I got all of my studying out of the way over the past two days so I could have this night open." Ok, so I don't completely understand her. "I know the guy's son and daughter. They're both in my literature class so I wanted to have fun with them before they left town."

Well that's awfully thoughtful of her. Sonic passed by again going strong with no signs of tiring and even showed off for some passing trick-or-treaters.

"Hey, what lap is he on?" asked Tikal.

"Eight or nine I think." Surprised I'm actually counting them.

Just then, the front door opened and, to my shock, the popularity queen, Tiara Boobowski, poked her head out the front door. Her costume of an old-fashioned movie starlet seemed fitting for her with the blond wig and glamorous make-up. She was surprised to see me.

"I've seen you around before with Sonic. You're um…"

"Blaze." I smiled generously at her.

"Right, right." She returned the gesture. "Hey Tikal, we're going to play truth or dare. Are you coming?"

"Yeah. I'll join you guys in a bit. Go ahead and start without me."

Tiara and I smiled at each other one last time before she disappeared back into the house. A couple of younger trick-or-treaters approached us and Tikal passed out candy from the bowl and they scampered off to the next house. Sonic passed once again on his fifteenth lap. I couldn't help but use the little distractions to sit there and beam at Tikal mindlessly while she struggled to figure out what I was so happy about. Finally I broke my silence.

"You're too modest, you know that?" I playfully poked Tikal in the arm.

"Modest? What do you mean?" No surprise that she was completely clueless about the obvious.

"What do I mean? You're friends with Tiara and you never bothered to mention this at all to me or Sonic. I don't think Knuckles knows either… Hey, are you friends with her because he tried to ask her out? Is that it? So he can have another chance with her?"

Instead of her predictable embarrassed cuteness I was expecting, Tikal answered with a knowing smile as if I had pointed out a childish dream.

"Things were just too awkward for him after the incident last year involving Tiara," she said playing with candy pieces in the bowl. "It was Valentine's Day and he was just getting in the spirit…but I think he was a little too assuming."

The mood changed and I settled down from my mischievous giddiness to listen to the incident that seemed to have scarred Knuckles emotionally. Apparently a few months before the incident, Tikal had convinced Knuckles to finally talk to Tiara since it was obvious he was attracted to her. As far as Tikal could tell, since she was in elementary last year, they seemed to be getting along just fine and figured that things would turn out ok if they had the same feelings for each other.

"And if they didn't feel the same way, I was sure that Tiara would've been nice enough to let him down easy. She has that kind of reputation throughout the school."

Everything seemed smooth at first until Knuckles started to become a little too obsessed with Tiara. He talked about her often with Tikal when she was around. Tried to see Tiara as often as he could. Got really interested in things she liked. The telltale signs of a stalker, at least from my point of view, though I obviously kept this thought to myself. Tikal was happy to see Knuckles walking with Tiara at school one day and figured things had gone well.

"If only I had paid more attention to what was going on... Maybe he would've turned out different now. His stepmother probably wouldn't have..."

All of the sudden, the cheerful atmosphere of the party inside could barely touch us. Tikal bowed her head almost submerging her face in the bowl of candy and I honestly thought she was going to cry. Telling someone to calm down is pretty useless when their emotions are heightened. So I just rubbed her back gently and hoped it was enough to hold back her tears. When she finally had the strength to go on, she talked about what happened on Valentine's Day. Knuckles had brought some flowers and was going to approach Tiara during lunch with all of her friends around. Apparently his intentions were to confess his feelings to her and that all of her friends would be so happy for them. Well...when the big day came, he stuck to his plan.

"I don't know what happened exactly since elementary students eat lunch in a different room but...he told me that Tiara already had a boyfriend."

The confession was a bust. Her friends all laughed at him and her boyfriend at the time got upset and picked on him for an entire week. Tikal recalled the last confrontation Knuckles had with the boy. She was leaving the school with him when the boyfriend approached and did his usual teasing of Knuckles about hitting on Tiara. Tikal tired her best to help her cousin but she was too young to have any effect. A testament to how cruel kids really are at school contrary to what our parents wish to blindly believe. Anyway, the situation escalated and Knuckles did something that shocked even Tikal herself. He fought back. She remembered just barely getting out of the way of the scuffle which only lasted for a minute before teachers rushed out and separated the boys.

"I wasn't sure what to do afterward," Tikal said. "I was a little afraid of leaving him behind and just hearing the principal tell me that Knuckles's stepmother would come and get him scared me even more. But there wasn't much I could do so I went home. Tiara walked with me because she felt guilty of what her boyfriend had done. I think that's when she and I became acquaintances with each other."

Which then led to the friendship. That explains that. Now, how the stepmother came into the situation shed a new light on Knuckles personality for me. Again, her details on what happened after Knuckles was taken home were vague but there were telltale signs of what had happened to him when he finally returned to school. Wait. When he _finally returned_ to school?

"Yeah. He didn't show up for a week after the fight. Not only was I worried but Tiara was as well." Tikal continued.

Miss Popular had broken up with her boyfriend in the aftermath of the fight and rumors swirled about that it was because she had the hots for Knuckles. Unfortunately, through a heart to heart conversation, Tikal found out that Tiara never liked her boyfriend in the first place. Well at least she has an eye for character. I really don't get why women in TV shows always go for the jerk or the "bad boy". Meh. A week passed and Knuckles returned to school..."obviously different from before the fight". Tikal's exact words. He was "very quiet" on what he had been doing at home for a week, "moved cautiously" through the hallways at school, and was "visibly frightened" when Tiara tried to apologize for her ex-boyfriend's actions.

"I begged for him to tell me what happened at home. I knew his stepmother had done something to him but...he got agitated when I tried to get it out of him one time. So I just never talked about it."

So he snapped at his cousin huh? Probably in the same way he snapped at me when I egged him about the emerald although he came to his senses and talked about it a little. But judging by how wary he was the next day... It's got to be his stepmother. I've only had a small amount of face time with the woman twice since I moved over here but she clearly has an emotional grip on him. I suppose Sonic and I could make a stop by Knuckles's place tonight even if it's in vain. I stood picking up both my candy bag and Sonic's and managed to wave him down from his jog. I had stopped counting the laps but he didn't seem to mind since he was running backwards at this point. Showoff.

"You girls finally finished up your chick chat?" he asked upon his approach.

"Yeah, something like that." I shoved his bag back into his arms. "Hey Tikal, do you think it'll be ok if we head on over to Knuckles's place? Just to see how he's doing you know."

"You want to go over there now? Um..." She started nibbling on her fingers nervously. "I don't think Mrs. Echidna will appreciate it. She usually keeps all of the outside lights off during Halloween night so that no one would come to the house so if you go there..."

"We might not get an answer." Sonic stepped up beside me. "Doesn't matter. Blaze and I still have more houses to hit up anyway so we'll catch up with Big Red at school."

With that, Tikal went back to her party and Sonic and I left to continue our candy forage. I was waiting for him to ask why the sudden detour to Knuckles's place. When he did, I gave him a straight forward explanation.

"...So you want to save him from his old lady?" He responded.

"Not save him. Just...see how he's been doing. I don't like the fact that he's been avoiding me ever since we talked about the emerald in his house," I said.

There was a surprising moment where Sonic didn't say a word. So I looked over and noticed that he had a mischievous look in his eye. Great. What's he going to say now? Only he didn't say anything. He was actually showing restraint. Silver could take a lesson or two from him. However, that look just wouldn't go away and soon the silence became uncomfortably suspicious. He's not showing restraint. He's intentionally holding it back for dramatic effect! Darn you Sonic! Just get it over with and say it. Come on, come on!

"You wanna save him." He spoke quickly and I was just as quick in dodging a swipe I had waiting for him.

"No! It's just what I said. We're going to stop by Knuckles's house, ring the doorbell, and if no one answers we'll leave." I said shortly.

"And if the old lady does answer?"

…I hadn't considered that. I mean, if Tikal was being honest about Mrs. Ecidna (which I'm sure she was) then we wouldn't have to worry about her answering the door. So why even bothering taking that into consideration? The woman doesn't seem like the holiday type anyway so—

"Hellooo? Earth to Blaze? Come in Blaze." Sonic cupped his hand over his mouth to mimic the sound of a voice coming through a speaker.

"She won't answer the door. I doubt they're even at home," I said quickly.

"So why are we doing this again?"

He and I stopped. The rapid tapping of his foot slowly grinding my gears.

"You're an _absolutely_ great friend. You know that Sonic?" I made sure my voice was drenched with sarcasm to which he smiled.

"Hey, I try my best."

I wasn't that upset with him. If anything, having these little banters with Sonic made for an interesting friendship. Especially since he could stand up on his own and defend himself verbally with quick quips. Wish I could say the same about Silver.

* * *

A short time later, Sonic and I were standing before the evil stepmother's dark abode…ok it was her house. All the lights off just like Tikal said and the car still in the driveway. So that meant that she and Knuckles were still at home. However, by then, we both had become very doubtful that the wicked witch would answer the door. Instead, we wasted time with some rock-paper-scissors to determine who would be the bold hero to approach the dark lair. I lost to the quick hedgehog unfortunately. During the drudging walk up the driveway, I contemplated what would happen if she _did_ open the door. A strange look? An angry warning to leave? Wait…would she remember me as the girl who walked Knuckles home that day? Gosh, I'm sending chills up my own spine!

Unfortunately, my walk was interrupted by some raucous laughter from down the street. I looked to see Jet and two older kids with him. Just great. If he's here then I'm sure Sonic's about to get riled up. Sure enough, the second I looked back the hedgehog had that look in his eyes and eagerly walked towards the trio of birds. I crossed the neatly cut grass to try and stop him. To no avail, Sonic kept going eager to greet his school rival.

"Finally! Some action tonight! You with me Blaze?" Before I knew it, he had me by the arm walking alongside him. "You don't need to answer. Of course you're with me 'cause you're my friend. Anyway, seems like ol' bird brain got himself a flock. Cool! High schoolers!"

The more he talked, the more I wanted to grab him by the neck and drag him to someplace safe…or to my house and lock him up in the hallway closet. Either way, I didn't like how the odds were stacking up against us. I said whatever I could to get Sonic to change his mind but he had literally turned into a runaway train. Before I knew it, Jet and his two high school friends had spotted us and the short, green-feathered hawk made a beeline for Sonic. The rivals met, I was finally free of Sonic's grasp, the high school kids looked down on me, and thus started the standoff. I don't mind a good western standoff but can we _please_ get past this silence and just get on with whatever stupid game these guys are going to play?

"I thought trick-or-treating was for babies." Jet was the first to speak.

"Sure it is. Didn't you check yourself in the mirror this morning." Sonic shot back.

"Yeah I did. Fortunately, mine didn't break unlike yours."

"You should've looked a little harder. I think the guy standing in the frame was a half-brained look-a-like."

This back and forth would be all fine and dandy if the combatants were GIRLS! Someone shoot me. Please, just do it now. I want to get this night over with! At last the war of words had come to a draw leaving only the anticipation of physical competition or something more interesting.

"Heh! You got a lot of guts choosing to stand up to me tonight. Totally ignoring the fact that my high school friends are with me!" Jet poked Sonic with a rigid finger.

"I wouldn't call it guts, just intuition." Sonic crossed his arms. "Which just so happens to tell me that those two bozos are nothing but kittens compared to Shadow."

Almost immediately, the big gray albatross on Jet's left growled and even tried to shove his way past his short "leader" with intentions of harming Sonic. No surprise, the hedgehog enjoyed the sudden emotional explosion despite taking a few steps back. Once Jet and his female companion, a purple swallow in white clothing, had the albatross under control, she decided to step up and calm the situation.

"Relax Storm, they're just words."

"Yeah but-but Wave—"

"Cool it!" she snapped at the albatross and turned to Jet. "Let's just get out of here. There's no point in picking a fight with Sonic tonight. We can always get him later once I finish up that side project I'm working on." Wave even added in a suspicious wink at the end.

"Yeah. Listen to your mommy and crawl on home. Let dear ol' daddy Shadow take care of me and then you can curl up by his feet and purr by a big open fire…like the kitties you are."

Friendliest guy in town or not, I don't really understand what the heck is going on in Sonic's mind when he's around Jet. It's like he turns into a vigilante bully or something; protecting the innocent while torturing the bad guys. The _kitties_ comment had sent the albatross into a frenzy again suggesting that maybe a kitty insult was his hot button. This attack was too strong for either Jet or the girl to hold back and practically scared the crap out of me. I think I jumped back about three or four feet. Sonic had the exact opposite reaction and welcomed the assault by throwing his bag of candy in the enraged bird's face. He then scooped me into his arms, at which point my bag of candy slipped from my hands, and took off down the street laughing.

It would've been the perfect opportunity to ask him what was he thinking inciting such rage from a complete stranger. However, I had too much going on in my mind at the time. Where was he going, did he have to run so fast, and why was I so _close_ to a guy!? Personal space is one thing. Hanging onto my friend's neck for dear life while he carried me and ran at an ungodly speed is something entirely different! My eyes were closed the entire so I had no idea where he was running. Finally the deafening wind died down and from the sounds of his slowing footfalls, we were probably in a small forest area. Turns out I was right when I opened my eyes. Sonic let me down gently and I was ready to unleash a fully loaded anger speech on him had it not been for our unexpected guest.

"What a coincidence to see you tonight, Blaze." That smooth, mature voice was back…and my stomach dropped a little as I turned to see _him_.

Shadow was standing on the other side of the clearing Sonic and I were in leaning against a tree…with my candy bag in hand? How in the world did he get here so fast if he was way back there? Shadow approached holding the bag out to me but Sonic pushed me back and met the black hedgehog halfway snatching the bag up.

"No need to be so hostile. I was just returning what belongs to the little lady." Shadow held up his hands as he backed away.

"Sure you were." Sonic brushed him off and searched through my bag which I took from him immediately.

I don't like Shadow either because he creeps me out just as much. But it was a nice gesture to return my candy. Sonic took his place in front of me defensively and did his best to interrogate Shadow away. Judging by his body language, the creepy kid seemed less interested in what the blue hedgehog had to say. Then like a repeat of last time, Shadow attempted to shove his way past Sonic but my friend had a little more determination this time in stopping the black hedgehog.

"May I remind you that you're showing a little too much interest in Blaze." I could hear Sonic say despite him speaking with a low voice.

"Espio and I agreed that we need a little feminine flavor to our group. You have a fourth unnecessary member in yours so we'll gladly take her off your hands. But yes," Shadow looked over at me and gave me that unusual smile again. "I _am_ taking an interest in Blaze."

If I had known where we were exactly then I would've left and gone home on my own by now. But I didn't and had to endure the uncomfortable confrontation while clutching my bag nervously. Shadow took notice of my reaction and finally forced Sonic aside.

"Forgive me for embarrassing you. That was not my intention. I just wish to have an innocent conversation with you." Shadow approached me and took my hand gently into his. "You see, I have this intuition that draws me to people who know things that I would like to know." His voice dropped to an even lower volume. "I don't know what information you have to offer but I do know this: trust me. Let down you guard and whatever perceptions you have of me and just give me a few moments to speak with you. That's all I ask."

His eyes… Again, I had no response. Only this time it was due to that _one memory_ resurfacing in my mind. Maybe it was because he was too friendly towards me or maybe it was due to his unusual red-on-black fur color, but the sight of Shadow acting this way towards me only reminded me of that horrible incident. He seems like the type that would do it too. I was ready to verbally rebuke him but Sonic tackled him from behind. They barely missed me by a few inches. I was surprised to see Sonic act so violent. If anything, I've been surprised by his behavior all evening. Does he go through some crazy change when there's a full moon out? The short scuffle only got as far as Shadow pinning Sonic against a tree until some more surprise guests showed up: a male crocodile wearing the school blue and white sports jacket and a female bat dressed casually.

"Hey, what's going on?" the crocodile said.

"Shadow!" his companion looked towards the hedgehogs.

Immediately, Shadow dropped Sonic and backed away looking seriously pissed at the bat. I take it he knows her well.

"I'll catch up with you some other time Blaze." It was all he said before running off into the trees.

With the creepy kid gone, my alert senses returned to normal and I finally relaxed a little. As far as the two newcomers were concerned, I figured they were at least in high school. The crocodile obviously being a student from St. Ives because of the sports jacket he wore. Even better, they were also Sonic's friends as he seemed relieved when the crocodile helped him up.

"Nah, I'm fine Vector." Sonic dusted himself off. "That guy is a jerk anyway and now he's after Blaze for no reason!"

I was approached by the bat who was concerned for me but I reassured her that I was fine as well. Sonic then suggested that Vector should probably walk me home which I was ok with after a night like this. He may have been a stranger to me, but if he's cool with Sonic then he's cool with me.

"I'll see you at school next week!" Sonic called out to me as he left with the bat girl while Vector and I went in the opposite direction.

The walk was silent until we came out the trees and walked in between a few houses. There had been a definite decrease in trick-or-treaters when we made it out to the sidewalk. It was probably close to 9PM or so. Hopefully, Vector will cover for me if my parents are upset when I get home. All of that aside, I can't get Shadow's eyes out of my mind now. The way they looked when he spoke to me… Aside from their striking red color, I felt...a tinge in my heart as they pierced into me. I'm a little confused whether or not it's ok for me to feel this way. Especially after I was sexually harassed months ago.

"So what was the fight about?" Vector's voice broke my concentration.

"That? Well…it's kinda strange but Sonic was just protecting me." It was so weird hearing myself say that when I'm the one who's used to doing all the protecting. For Silver mostly.

"So that Shadow kid tried to hurt you?" Vector looked down at me.

"No, he was just…trying to talk to me and that seemed to bother Sonic a lot."

Explaining the situation to an adult would make Sonic seem like the bad guy. Thankfully, Vector wasn't an adult and seemed to sympathize as if he understood why Sonic and Shadow fought. So I had to ask to see just how notorious Shadow was on this side of town.

"For someone who's only been here since the beginning of the year, he didn't waste anytime in establishing himself as a guy you _don't_ want to run into in a dark alley. I've never been on the receiving end of anything he's done. Although I have heard stories of kids getting on his bad side." Vector said crossing his arms and going into deep thought.

Shadow turned out to be creepier than I took him for. He's apparently made kids disappear for days only to come home frightened and traumatized. He went up against a gang of teenagers in the downtown area and they soon disbanded after confrontation. Even the local police are having trouble with keeping track of him despite having more patrol cars going around at night. Which, by the way, does explain why there are more police cars roaming the streets at night. _A lot_ more than in the vills across town. The guy comes and goes like a villainous magician and no one knows why either. When I asked about the chameleon I remember seeing with Shadow last month…Vector seemed somber.

"Espio can do better for himself," he said with a grimace.

"Do you know him?"

"Just barely. I met him for the first time about a year ago. Around this time actually."

Right there, he got started on the short tale of how Espio came into his life briefly. Vector was out one night riding with his friends in their car when the chameleon suddenly stumbled out into the road from the bushes. The accident was a miss and nothing serious happened aside from a few freaked out teenagers spinning out of control in the middle of the road. Upon getting out, Vector saw Espio collapse and convinced his friends to take him and the kid back to his place. His parents were away on a wedding anniversary vacation so he had the whole house to himself. Vector clearly recalled the condition Espio was in. Thin, very cold, and about as unclean as your average homeless person. The chameleon was cleaned up and put into Vector's room to rest with the crocodile looking to making a phone call to the police in the morning about a possible runaway.

The next day came and Espio apparently had enough strength to make his way downstairs and stop Vector from calling the authorities. He didn't give a reason why and only collapsed in the end prompting his caretaker to make him some food. Three days Espio was there and Vector got very little out of him about his past.

"All he ever said was that he had no home and his only family was a clan he lived with in Chun-nan," Vector said.

Chun-nan?! That's halfway around the world from here! Espio can't be much older than Shadow, so how did he wind up in Mobius? In any case, I let Vector finish. On the third day when the crocodile was going to force some answers out of his guest, the kid had left on his own. Not even a thank you note or some ninja calling card. A few months later, Vector hears that Espio is in the company of Shadow but the sudden departure was their last contact with each other. That's a little disturbing. Even after being nursed by a generous stranger, he preferred the company of an absolutely unusual kid. What the heck did Shadow say or do to get Espio to go along with him? It can't be just for kicks unless Espio prefers bad company…

"It's like I said, he can do better for himself but…I just don't know," Vector said in the end.

I'm just as clueless too. Even if Shadow seemed friendly at first, I would've bailed out on him after witnessing his devious deeds.

"It's kinda sad to think that with all the manpower and neighborhood watching we do, it seems like the only one who's able to put a damper in their trouble making is Sonic." Vector mentioned out of the blue. "Come to think of it, those two hedgehogs arrived in town around the same time. I wonder if they have a history with each other…"

Huh…that's news to me. It does put a new perspective on the animosity between Sonic and Shadow.

"Maybe I'll ask Rouge. She seems to be pretty close with Sonic." I heard him mumbled under his breath.

"Who's Rouge?" I had to remind him that I was still here and I still needed to get home.

He smiled sheepishly.

"The girl I was with earlier. It's kinda weird that she's close friends with a kid despite dating a guy like me. Ha ha."

"Jealous he might do something?" The mood was getting lighter, I was getting comfortable with Vector, and I decided to enjoy the night stroll.

"As if! As fast as he is, there's no way he take on a big guy like me."

We came to a stop at an intersection and Vector seemed a little lost as to where to go. Thankfully, I recognized the neighborhood and led the way back to my apartment complex. As I hoped for, Vector did cover for me when we got up to my unit and my parents freaked out about what time it was. They were grateful to him, thanked him with a small cash reward (mom is always like that), and he left. I tried to escape to my room as fast as I could but dad stopped me and confiscated my candy bag. Drats! The amount he returned wasn't even a fourth of my earnings for the night. I'm pretty sure that the next morning I'll find a mountain of candy wrappers in the kitchen trash can. He always does that every year when I go trick-or-treating.

The candy conspiracy aside, I can easily say that tonight was a very interesting night full of characters. If anything, it'll definitely give me something to talk about with Silver the next time I see him. But until then I should probably keep an eye out for Shadow. I can't help but get the feeling that he's a very persuasive guy. Should I let my guard down I may end up on the other side with him doing who knows what.


	9. A Day of Discussions

Silver & Blaze

_New Beginnings  
_**A Day of Discussions**

_December_  
I wanted to head out earlier today to get a head start on going to the park but chores I had to do and mom insisting I layered up kept me from doing so. I got out of the house eventually, not as bundled up as mom would've liked but it wasn't too cold for me. Besides, I wouldn't have enjoyed the walk to the park as much with so many clothes restricting me. The trees were bare but that only meant that the ground was now nothing but beautiful shades of gold, red, and brown. Being able to see the clear blue sky among the finger-like branches was almost surreal like they were giants or something. I passed by a pile of leaves in someone's yard and had this huge urge to jump into them. No, better leave that to the troublemakers. On the last day of school before the holiday break, Tikal and Sonic agreed that we should meet up in the park today. Whether or not Knuckles would be there was a toss up. He hasn't been avoiding me as much like he was almost two months ago, but he hasn't been as open as he was the day we walked home together. In a way, I felt guilty thinking that he got into trouble because of me.

I arrived at the park and wandered around a bit before finally catching a blue blur running laps around the bases on the baseball field. A couple of older kids, probably just locals gathering for an impromptu game, were impressed by Sonic's laps. The hedgehog finished and jogged off to the sidelines readjusting his white scarf. I spotted Tikal just behind the team bench cheering for Sonic. She looked snug and comfortable in her girly fall clothes. No sign of Knuckles. The duo saw me upon my approach.

"So you finally arrived, eh slowpoke?" Sonic playfully pushed me a little.

"Hey, I had priorities to take care of." I returned the light shove. "So what was all of that about?"

"Just a little show. I think this has got to be the fourth or fifth time those guys asked me to join their team." The boys started their game while the three of us walked away.

"So why not join? Better yet, why not join the school team once we're in the high school. We're number two in this region. I'm sure you could take us up to number one so we could qualify for nationals."

Even with the suggestive nudge I gave him, Sonic still shied away from the prospect.

"Nah. I'm a one-man show. It's like the saying goes, there's no 'I' in team," He said.

"But there is a 'me' you know," Tikal chimed in.

Both Sonic and I looked at her simultaneously. A little surprised that something slightly selfish came out of her mouth. He looked at me, I looked at him and we gave each other a reassuring smirk that confirmed that we were definitely rubbing off on her. Tikal stopped suddenly wondering if what she said had crossed the line. Obviously it didn't so we slowly pulled her along letting her know that her behavior was socially acceptable with us.

After some wandering and meaningless chatter amongst us, I went ahead and sat in the grass on a small incline that overlooked the picnic areas. It really was just a nice fall day though the slightly bitter wind reminded me that winter was right around the corner. The others joined me; Sonic sitting on my right and Tikal on my left.

"So any of you girls doing anything special for Christmas?" Sonic asked.

"My family is going out of town to see relatives in Echidnaopolis," Tikal said.

"Sweet. That's the super hi-tech Echidna city. I hear it's just as grand as Mobotropolis."

Sonic was right. Those are the two major cities on the Mobius continent; Mobotropolis in the east and Echidnaopolis in the west. My dad was offered a job in Mobotropolis years ago but turned it down to marry mom and settle here.

"Is Knuckles going with you?" I asked.

"No. Seeing as how he and his stepmother are pureblood, there's no way she would even go a hundred miles near Echidnaopolis," Tikal said.

"Lemme guess…cultural differences?" Sonic rolled his eyes as his leaned back on his arms.

"I guess that's one way of putting it. The purebloods like to keep close to Echidna traditions which probably explains why they built their own city, Albion."

"Conveniently located right next to the Mystic Ruins; heart of their ancient, god-fearing, war mongering civilization. Sad how they're desperate to cling onto some stupid—ow!"

I had to stop Sonic right there with a jab into his side and grunted in Tikal's direction. He got the message and just sighed lying back in the grass, legs stretched out. She didn't mind where Sonic's candid comment was going but I still felt the need to remind him of the fact that she's half Knuckles Clan. Despite my disappointment in Sonic's behavior, it really didn't get to me. If anything, just hanging around these two have opened up my views on people in general. No matter who we are or what we believe in, it's still possible that people with opposing viewpoints can get along. Sonic's a free spirit, a bit lazy, rude, and not open to religion but that doesn't stop him from befriending Tikal, a girl who is almost the exact opposite of him. I suppose I could say the same for Sonic and Knuckles's friendship, though they bicker most of the time. I'm sure if Knuckles could loosen up a bit things wouldn't be so rocky between them…

"So did Knuckles say why he couldn't come today?" I asked Tikal.

"He didn't call me so I can't say what's going on with him exactly," she said.

Sonic's voice called over to her asking why _she_ didn't call _him_. His word emphasis. I can understand why Tikal wouldn't want to call that house. The thought of having a phone conversation with that woman…sends chills down my spine. Not helping since it's cold enough already.

Sonic stood up and readjusted his scarf again. He then started to stretch his legs like some professional athlete while he asked about my Christmas activities for this year. My family wasn't doing anything special. I don't think we had the money for it considering dad had to change jobs once we moved to this side of town. No, no. The town isn't _that_ big…it's just…my powers…and the rumors back in the vills. I was interrupted when I noticed that Tikal and Sonic were looking back, so I turned and to our surprise…Knuckles was here. He wasn't wearing too much; just a gray jacket and a brown scarf. His eyes never left the ground even as he got closer and greeted us.

"Hey…" His voice was weak and barely audible.

"So what's your excuse? Had your own priorities to take care of?" Sonic said crossing his arms.

Not exactly a welcoming gesture but I knew Sonic well enough to know that this was him being sincere despite his body language and tone.

"Uh yeah. Something like that?" Knuckles stumbled with the answer as if he was caught off guard.

The hedgehog just shrugged it off and did some final stretches before asking Knuckles about his _holiday_ activities. He specifically used the word _holiday_ after slipping up and saying _Christmas_ which I'm sure he did on purpose.

"Nothing special for us," the echidna replied his eyes going back to the grass.

"Really? Figured you and the stepmom would head on out to Albion and mingle with all of the other purists." Sonic's tone and body language had gone to nonchalant. He was quickly losing interest in the conversation.

Knuckles didn't get the message since he thought the hedgehog was still being rude and sighed heavily.

"For the last time, we are **not** a religion. We are a race that is dying off and we're just trying to preserve what's left by sticking close together instead of distancing ourselves from each other like our ancestors. Besides…people who have a religion don't believe in it to upstage non-believers. They do it because it's what they want in their hearts."

"Which is an identity…or something meaningful to do with their lives. Rather than searching within themselves, they look to someone or something else to dictate their actions and validate their existence and the fact that it has meaning."

Going back to what I said earlier about opposite people being good friends…well there are times when some people just never click. I suppose Sonic and Knuckles would be an example of that. It's wishful thinking hoping that they would find common ground when they can't even understand each other's mannerism and body speech. The boiling anger within Knuckles was clearly visible as he balled up a fist in his jacket pocket…and then let his anger go.

"Just go run your stupid laps," were his final words.

Again, Sonic rolled his eyes and dashed off running from here to there across the picnic area. Knuckles sat in the grass, obviously keeping a distance from me. Would be easier to just sit on Tikal's other side if he's still wary of me. I asked Tikal silently why she didn't intervene in on what could've been a hostile situation.

"Well, Knuckles has been wanting to stand up on his own for a while," she whispered back. "It came out of the blue two months ago right after I got over my cold. He doesn't want me to help him whenever he gets frustrated, especially in a social situation. I don't like it either but if Knuckles is trying to change himself then…I really can't stop him."

"True. He _is_ older than you." I decided to point that out and Tikal gave a halfhearted smile.

It may have seemed rude to whisper like this when Knuckles was only a few feet from us but I didn't want him to get upset by anything I said. Having an encounter with Sonic was frustrating enough even though they're suppose to be friends. I looked back at Knuckles and his eyes were still glued to his shoes in front of him. Seems like he was lost in whatever world was in his head.

"Hey." I spoke softly but loud enough to get his attention. "Don't take what he said so seriously. Sonic is a free spirit so it's only natural that he's opposed to anything that may seem…"

"Oppressive?" Knuckles filled in.

"Not the word I was looking for but…yeah. I think the problem between you two is that you guys really don't read each other too well. He's easy going and you're a bit serious."

"So you're saying that I'm the problem here…"

"No, no, no!" Geez, his gloomy attitude isn't helping. "Knuckles, I'm not blaming either you or Sonic. I'm just suggesting that maybe both of you should open up a little and try to see things from the opposite perspective. Who knows, you might even discover something new about yourself."

He shrugged and finally relaxed laying back in the grass. I guess I got through to him…maybe. I didn't want to say this, to either him or Tikal, but Knuckles and Sonic are a lot more alike than they think. They both have strong convictions. If those convictions are threatened I'm sure they would do anything to protect them. You know, I think I was right before. Maybe they will find common ground someday and hopefully be able to understand each other better.

* * *

The day passed on lazily with the four of us eventually playing around in the park and watching the last inning of the baseball game nearby. The air between Sonic and Knuckles was a lot lighter and the subject of religion or Knuckles's heritage was never brought up again. Or anything else controversial for that matter. We parted immediately after the game was decided and headed home. It was still midday out. I guess I could kill some time and watch TV when I got home or help decorate the Christmas tree dad got a few days ago. Sonic told me that there was a shortcut to my apartment complex through the small forest at the edge of the park. A scenic route I guess. So I took that path and enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the tall bare trees and leaf-covered ground.

The thought of bringing Knuckles out here one day to relax him crossed my mind until I heard something nearby. It sounded like…someone else was walking around. I stopped and focused on the sounds of their footsteps crunching through the leaves and carefully moved towards the source of the sound. There was a clearing beyond a few bushes ahead of me…but no one in sight. I forced my way through the shrubbery wondering if they ran off when they heard me come near.

"It's not polite to eavesdrop on someone's privacy," a voice said and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

My eyes darted all around but I still couldn't see anyone. So why did the voice sound so close? Wait a minute. A voice from nowhere, footsteps suddenly vanishing…

"Espio?" I called out.

It only made sense remembering how he suddenly appeared out of thin air the first time I met Shadow. Just ahead of me, the leaves on the ground were aroused moving as if someone had fallen onto them. The purple colored chameleon appeared, down on one knee and then stood.

"I-I wasn't eavesdropping. I just heard some noises while I was walking through and wanted to know what they were," I said feeling a little wary.

"I see." Espio walked over to a tree and leaned against it with a bored expression. "There's no need for you to be nervous. I'm out here on my own."

Well that answered one question I was worried about. Still didn't change the fact that the silence that followed was a bit…uncomfortable. The idea of trying to make small talk seemed appropriate at a time like this, but this was Espio here. A friend…or a least a follower of Shadow, someone who's a little too interested in me. Maybe I should leave. While he didn't show it, I'm sure Espio was upset that I invaded his privacy. That's when I started to turn and walk away. Then he did something unexpected.

"He confuses you doesn't he?" the chameleon said.

I looked back at him and re-approached cautiously.

"Yeah, a little," I said.

"Well, socializing isn't one of his strong points." Espio smirked a little.

"That much I already figured out."

"I see. He's also not as complex as he makes himself to be."

"Easy for you to say. You're his friend."

"Friend? Ha." It was odd to see amusement on Espio's face.

"What's wrong with what I said? I hear that you're always around him so I figured you two were close friends," I said.

"That's not for me to say. I just started to follow him one day and we've never been apart since."

Hearing him say that reminded me of the conversation I had with Vector on Halloween. Espio was practically saved by a nice guy but then left and ended up in the company of Shadow. Not only was that rude but very strange. I just had to know what would make this kid choose murky waters over a clear lake. When I told him that I knew how he came to this town, Espio chuckled.

"I suppose nothing is truly private in this town after all." He took out a ninja dagger and toyed around with it in his hand. "Very well then. I'll tell you my story if it'll help our reputation among _your kind_."

I tried not to take offense of his words. From there, Espio started talking about how he managed to get by for a few days after leaving Vector's home. He started to seriously consider leaving town and searched for a way to get out. That's when he had a run in with Shadow. The hedgehog found the chameleon in an alley downtown and brought him some food.

"Apparently he had seen my attempts to steal from the local stores down there," said Espio. "Considering how reckless I was with my technique back then, I'm surprised I never got caught by the authorities."

"So Shadow gave you food and even helped you out…and in exchange you started to follow him?" I decided to fill in some gaps saving him a few words.

"Pretty much. He really took to the fact that I could turn invisible but pretty much laughed at how I utilized the ability. He gave me tips and I kept following him in hopes of getting more advice since he seemed like a well traveled guy. And thus…how I came to following him around like a shadow."

Shadow's shadow, huh? A nice way of putting it but the bullying, terrorizing, and trouble making just couldn't be ignored by someone as sensible as Espio. Again he chuckled after I pointed out Shadow's flaws.

"You see a mischievous kid. I see someone helping people." He tossed his dagger into the air and caught it by its blade in between his index and middle finger. " A kid runs away from home, is saved from the _real world_ by Shadow, and returns home a new leaf turned over. Gangs terrorize a neighborhood downtown and Shadow brings their feud to an end when the police did nothing but twiddle their thumbs. People look at him and see a criminal or at least someone suspicious enough to cause trouble. People look at Sonic and see the "good guy", as innocent as the blue sky. Amazing what a little difference in skin pigmentation can make."

"You're saying that everyone is imagining that Shadow is the bad guy? But he gets into fights with people and intimidates them…right?" I said.

Espio shot me a disgusted look and for a second I thought he was going to chuck that ninja dagger at me.

"Only because those altercations were started by others, not Shadow." He finally returned the dagger to its clasp on the belt around his waist. "People see what they want to see, interpret it at face value, and sleep well in their beds at night."

He pushed himself away from the tree and started to leave. So Shadow is just…misunderstood? Considering my last few encounters with him and how my friends react to his presence, I'm within my rights to dismiss it as "Espio's interpretation". But my gut was telling me that was wrong.

"You seem like someone who's reasonable and would rather search out answers for yourself as opposed to going along with the crowd." Espio had stopped and looked back at me. "I ask you to take my advice and just hear Shadow out the next time he finds you. I can't get him to open up to me, but maybe you can. I think he sees something about you that's different from me."

Halloween night came to mind…and, again, my memories went straight to his eyes. The way they looked combined with the words he whispered to me. "Trust me." I don't know if he was being calculating and trying to get me to doubt my thoughts of him or if he was really being sincere. The fact that he's made it clear to me that I have information that he wants makes me think it's the former.

"The last time he talked to me," my words stopped Espio as he was leaving. "Shadow asked me to trust him. But doesn't he have you for that?"

"Again, not for me to say. Which goes right back to what I just said; there's something about you that's different from me."

Espio left and my mind went blank. What could Shadow possibly like about me? Is it because I'm a girl? N-no, no. I start thinking that and then it's right back to…that incident.

In the end, I wasn't sure how to take in the conversation I just had with Espio. He's supposedly one of the "bad guys" since he's with Shadow. However, I haven't _seen_ him do anything bad…or Shadow for that matter. Yeah, I've _heard_ a lot about that hedgehog getting into all sorts of trouble. But those were stories from my friends so in a way…I saw him from a biased view. My gut wanted me to be "fair and balanced" and seek out Shadow's side of the story yet my emotions kept telling me "no" because of _that memory_. Maybe I should get another opinion, but from who? My friends aren't any good since they'll just reiterate the negative aspects of Shadow. Vector is already biased since he's worried for Espio's well being. …Wait! That girl he was with. Um…Rouge! Shadow seemed to know her really well when he saw Rouge Halloween night. And since Vector is dating her, she might be with him right now! I better start in the most obvious place teens would go: the shopping plaza.

* * *

It took a while but I managed to make it to the shopping plaza which wasn't too far from the park. Still, I probably shouldn't have ran all the way. I'm not a natural born runner like Sonic. After taking a minute to catch my breath, I started searching around for anyone wearing the school sports jacket or just any teens in sight. A little walking here and there and then I decided to head inside the food court building. Almost immediately I spotted a large guy wearing the school sports jacket…and to my luck it was Vector! Even better, Rouge was with him! I moved through the crowds towards their table in the center of the eating area. Vector was the first to notice me.

"Hey! It's Sonic's little friend. Blaze, right?" he said to me.

"Yeah. You guys out on a date?" While I did want to ask about Shadow, I didn't want to jump to the subject so quickly.

Immediately, the two started to stammer with Vector getting a pink tint on the green scales of his face. He sipped on the drink in hand only to be slightly disappointed that it was empty.

"Hang on a sec. I'm gonna get a refill," he said and he got up and left.

Perfect! I can get a clear opinion on Shadow from Rouge without Vector around to bias it up. I sat in the open chair next to her and she just smiled at me.

"Looking for tips on getting a boyfriend?" she said playfully.

"Uh, no. I don't think I'm ready for that yet." And probably won't be for a few years. "Actually, I wanted to ask you about Shadow."

She was just about to take another bite of her salad but stopped at my question.

"Shadow? Why him?" she said.

"You see…I know that a lot of people hate him. I always hear bad things about him, but earlier today I ran into Espio. He told me that Shadow was just misunderstood and not as bad as everyone makes him out to be."

By now, Rouge had dropped her fork into her salad and sat back in her chair listening intently.

"You two seem to know each other, at least I think you do judging from his reaction to you on Halloween. What can you tell me about him?" I hoped she would give me a somewhat balanced answer.

"If you're curious about him, don't bother. Stay away from him like your friends say." She spoke with a serious tone that kinda scared me.

"I don't get it. If he's misunderstood, wouldn't it be better to have someone talk to him and try to clear up all the bad air? It _would_ make things a lot easier around here for him…" I said fiddling with my hands.

"That's just the thing Blaze. He _doesn't_ want things to be easy. Shadow intentionally distances himself from people. I can't say why but when I tried to help him when he first showed up in town…he made it clear that he didn't want anything from anyone."

If that's the case, was Espio lying to me about Shadow's "good" deeds? Maybe asking Rouge for advice was a bad idea.

"Shadow has a heart," she continued. "He's done a few good things around here, but his choice to distance himself from society, coupled with his unlikable personality, created a stigma against him. People question his actions, his attitude, and then his existence. They're unable to understand him except for the fact that he has a nasty attitude. Add in the fact that he frequently gets into fights, some he probably didn't start, and the bad reputation just builds from there."

"Then, it should be ok to help Shadow. We shouldn't push him away just because he says so," I said.

"You're right. Reaching out to Shadow _is_ the right thing to do…but then you'll end up sharing his stigma as well." Wait. She's just going in circles now. "Let me put it in simple words for you sweetie. You saw Espio. You saw that he's a little more approachable than Shadow, yet he's shunned just as well. Its called reputation by association. Surround yourself with bad people and you'll _become_ a bad person even if you aren't. Do the exact opposite and the results are the same regardless of your true personality."

…That's just unfair. Why would Shadow intentionally do that to himself? Even I wouldn't do that. Push everyone away even if I had an ugly attitude. I'd at least try to hide it and be nice whenever it was necessary. Now I'm really starting to regret giving Shadow a chance. Sonic was right. Everyone was right.

"Don't tell Vector this but…"

When I looked up, Rouge was gazing off in the distance. She was looking at Vector who, for some reason, was finally making his way back to the table. How long does it take to get a drink refill?

"I've spoken to Espio on a few occasions. The kid is doing well but…he's become attached to Shadow. I guess it's no surprise. Espio is self-sufficient, travelling all the way over here from Chun-nan. Makes sense that he would connect faster with Shadow who's also a loner." She looked over at me. "Blaze, it's not worth losing all of your friends for the sake of reaching out to Shadow. It's painful to see Espio hang onto that kid so loyally when there's nothing in it for him. Don't make the same mistake."

All I could do was nod my head and stood up. Vector had finally reached us.

"Leaving already? I was going to buy you some lunch," the crocodile said.

"I'll pass. I should be getting home anyway. I'll see you guys later…maybe." I smiled as hard as I could and left the food court building.

"Reputation by association"…as unfair as it sounds, it's a little true. Just noticing all the cliques in school, each one of them has a reputation. It may not even reflect the true personalities of each person in the group but that's how it is. Maybe conforming with my friends and just being automatically biased against Shadow is the best choice of action. Even so, it probable won't stop him from "accidentally" running into me randomly. I can tell he's really interested in me. I want to know why…but after today I'm a little afraid of getting close to him. I might say something or he might say something and next thing I know I'll be just like Espio following Shadow like a shadow.

It's funny…and a little creepy at the same time.


	10. Silver: Pushover

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_**  
Silver: Pushover**

_January_  
Lucas shoved me into a locker while his goons closed in.

"You wanna say that again loser. I didn't catch all of it," Lucas said grasping my scarf as hard as he could.

I winced preparing myself for the punch that I knew was coming. It wouldn't have been the first time he hit me in the face. In fact, since the _incident_ last summer, Lucas has occasionally ambushed me and beat me up. So I've gotten used to it a little.

"Hey! What's going on?" Thankfully my science teacher came out into the hallway.

When we all looked over at the teacher, Honey was standing behind him with that worried look on her face. I really am grateful for my friends…even if I do put myself in danger intentionally. Lucas released me immediately and muttered to himself while his friends also dispersed; all of them going off to their classes. My science teacher scolded me for "fooling around" and reminded me that the bell had already rang. I apologized and went into the classroom with Honey close behind me.

Later on at lunch I had a little discussion with the guys…which includes Honey, by the way.

"Dude, keep this up with Lucas and you may end up dead in a ditch somewhere," Bean said before stuffing his mouth with chips.

"I know you don't want to fight back but letting them have their way isn't helping either," said Honey. "Can't you tell a teacher or someone?"

"There's nothing wrong with defending yourself, Silver. They're the ones antagonizing you." Bark added.

This isn't the first time my friends showed concern for my safety. They've been worried since the start of school. Lucas thinks that Blaze and I should be at fault for what happened last summer. I don't get it. I know one of the girls with him was hurt but only because she was carrying scissors and picking on Blaze. The rest of his gang just got bumps and bruises from the scuffling so no one was seriously injured…except Blaze. Emotionally…she may never be the same. Sure, she didn't show it afterwards but I know her. I know she's just holding it all down. If anything, Lucas and his friends are the ones who need to be punished.

I didn't say anything in response to my friends because I…I just didn't want to do anything to Lucas's gang. If I did then a cycle would start of us going back and forth trying to hurt each other more and more. Sooner or later, karma has to kick in and give him what he deserves…or, better yet, the twins since they're the ones who are really at fault.

* * *

Later on, after school, I was approached again by Lucas and the weasel twins. Honey was the only one with me since Bean and Bark had after-school activities. Guess I'll be fending for two today.

"Walking your _girlfriend_ home?" Lucas said as he pushed me a little.

We were already off school grounds but since we were near a neighborhood, I doubted Lucas would do anything to draw attention.

"Just let us go. We don't want anything to do with you guys," I said with my eyes to the ground.

The tall wolf-kid laid his heavy hands on my shoulders and my knees quivered under the pressure.

"You'll go when I'm ready to let you two go," He said.

I noticed the weasel twins walk behind Honey and me. One girl was enough. They're not going to hurt another! Honey just moved closer to me. She even held my hand.

"So did Blaze dump you after she moved away last summer?" Lucas said stepping back from me.

"We were never dating in the first place. Quit asking me questions about her and leave me alone!"

I tried to push my way past Lucas but he easily shoved me and Honey back. Then she screamed. The twins had grabbed a hold of her and, instinctively, I rushed in to fight them off. Those idiots only laughed as one of them pushed me away. I felt Lucas grab my arm but before he, or the twins, could do anything a police car slowly pulled up alongside the curb. A male canine officer got out of the driver's side of the car and glared at all of us.

"You boys aren't causing any more trouble now, are you?" He remained on the other side of the car with the door open.

"No sir," Lucas and the weasels said as they released Honey and I.

"You kids run on home. It gets dark earlier this time of year. And Lucas…" the wolf boy stood to attention. "I better not catch you or any of your buddies out at night. I think your parents are sick of having to hear from the police so often."

"Yes sir." For once, I finally saw what "defeat" looked like on his face.

The officer got back into his car and drove off. Lucas kick up some dirt shortly after.

"This time you got lucky loser." He suddenly grabbed me by my scarf nearly choking me. "Don't think there won't be another chance for me to jump you."

The three bullies left while I caught my breath. Honey wrapped her arm around mine and we started towards her place since she lived nearby.

"Please do something about them Silver. I don't want to see you get hurt seriously," she said to me quietly.

I know, I know. I don't want to get hurt either…but what **am** I suppose to do?

* * *

It's no surprise that Bark and Bean decided to forego any after school stuff to walk home with me the next day. Honey isn't great at keeping secrets…at least the stuff I want to stay secret. There was a lively discussion among my friends of how to deal with Lucas and his goonies. All sorts of ideas were passed around ranging from returning them the "favor" twofold to getting our own army together of other kids Lucas has bullied over the years. Regardless of the suggestions, I stayed out of it all. I knew I had to get him off of me but how it could be done was the problem I kept running into. He's a bully. Nothing I do will stop him as long as he lives on this side of town. The only real effective method will be for either one of us to move away…but me leaving would just leave my new friends as the next target. I wonder what it'll take to get Lucas's family to move?

Bean nudged my arm…a little too hard for my tastes. He was concerned why I had zoned out suddenly but I brushed it off. The others were waiting for my thoughts on any of their ideas and I just took my usual middle-man stance.

"Sorry, I can't really decide." followed by a weak smile.

There was some disappointment on their faces but the three of them went back to their heated discussion. Before I realized what was going on, they had voted on going to the café in the marketplace for some hot cocoa. No reason to object to that either although I'd rather be at home as soon as possible if only to avoid running into Lucas. Bean, Bark, and Honey each had some allowance money to pay for their drinks. I…didn't get my allowance for this month. Grades weren't good enough. Honey offered to buy my drink and she and Bark headed up to the counter. The atmosphere in the café was nice. Warm with heat and chatter from the customers enjoying the sunny afternoon despite it being winter.

"You can relax." I suddenly heard Bean say.

I may have done a double-take (whatever that is) when I stopped tracing a circle on the table with my finger and looked at Bean.

"Just relax Silver. Lucas isn't going to get you out here in public." Bean took off his jacket and let it rest between his back and his chair.

I was a little reluctant (for some unknown reason) but I complied and unwrapped my scarf from my neck. With the garment folded in my lap, I felt relieved like a weight had been taken off of me. Or maybe I tied the scarf on a little too tight. Bean started talking to me.

"Dude, I really think you should show some more backbone to that meathead. Going all ragdoll when he's around obviously isn't helping," he said.

"I get what you're saying but revenge doesn't help anyone. It just hurts more people," I said.

"Whatever! Seriously, guys like him just need a taste of their own medicine in order to get through to them. Trust me, my older bros are kind of the same. Nothing but meatheads…but a lot nicer, that's for sure."

Both he and I were right in our own way. Still, it didn't stop him from going on a rant. More and more he talked about how Lucas's attacks against me would get worse. Next thing I knew, I'd be in a wheelchair sitting away from everyone else at lunch. My self-esteem would be shattered, I'll never get a date for prom in high school, and then I'd be living with my parents until—

SLAM! Some hot cocoa was spilt onto the table from two mugs. Bark wiped up the mess quickly. The perpetrator was Honey. She had that look in her eye. The look a girl gets when she is annoyed by something. Us guys fell silent waiting for her to make some outrageous outburst. This wouldn't be the first time. Instead, she sat in her seat next to mine and slid my mug over with a haughty look on her face.

"Have more faith in Silver, Bean," she said in an uppity voice that she only used when she was acting like a know-it-all.

It's great to have Honey around, really. But sometimes…yeah. Bean scoffed and drank from his mug Bark had bought for him and Bark drank from his as well. That was a pretty serene moment between us, four friends enjoying hot cocoa at the same time. Then it came to an end shortly afterwards. Back to my "problem."

"Honestly Bean. Do you think that what Silver needs now is more criticism of his cowardliness?" Right there, I started to sink into my seat a little at Honey's words. "You're his friend right? So give him some support. I know he can stand up to Lucas if he just had the courage to do so."

"There you go again with your hopeless optimism." Bean's hand gesture mimicked a talking mouth. "Dude here doesn't need unicorns and rainbows right now. He needs down-to-earth "realistic proportions" of what he's up against."

It's funny how people put words in quotes as if that gives them new meaning.

"Hey, I believe in the guy just as much as you do." Bean continued. "But at least I'm keeping it real by giving him some useful advice. All of this "believe in yourself" crap isn't a useful strategy for when he's staring down that overgrown meathead in the eyes."

"Life isn't some war Bean! You don't have to have tactics for every single little event. It's better to give something that'll last forever as opposed to something that'll last for five minutes. For all you know, if he follows your advice, he may just end up back to the way he was all moping around and depressed."

Back and forth the two went, just like they always do, then Bark suddenly stopped them with a loud clap of his hands. Huh, Bark hasn't taken off his gloves since we came in here. Weird.

"The issue of Lucas bullying Silver is a serious one and I'm sure our friend here is grateful for our concerns." The polar bear motioned towards me and I just smiled feebly…like always. "However, back and forth banter will not get Silver anywhere in his decision making."

"So what do you propose Oh Great One Full of Wisdom?" Bean asked.

"Nothing." Quizzical looks all around. "I simply have this to ask: Are you honestly **that** ashamed of yourself?"

He caught me off guard for a second. I wasn't sure if Bark was talking to me or through me. So I pointed to myself just to be sure. He nodded.

"Are you so ashamed of yourself that you allow Lucas to walk over you just because you believe that 'karma' will save you eventually?" Bark shook his head in disappointment. "Silver, it's one thing to be humble and a pacifist in the face of unruly people. It's another issue entirely when you deliberately let someone push you around just because of guilt."

A chord struck within me. One that made me wonder if these friends sharing a table with me were really my friends. I remember being so excited around them when we first met last summer. Then over time…things just got quiet. Better yet, **I** got quiet. I know it's mostly because of Lucas who hasn't let up on bullying me, but what Bark said made me face the other thing that got to me as well. Guilt over what happened to Blaze. Ever since then I've just been wanting to turn back time and redo it all over again.

"Since he mentioned it, dude, we've only heard rumors about what happened between you, Blaze, and those meatheads last summer," Bean said.

"Yeah, some of it was pretty bogus but we never heard the truth from you," Honey said.

"And we **respect** your privacy if you want to keep it that way." I noticed how Bark eyed the other two sternly. "Regardless of the details, if what happened was strong enough to force Blaze to move away, you obviously feel some sort of guilt in you for not stopping the situation."

Sometimes I have to keep reminding myself that Bark is the oldest of us. Only a year older but old enough to point out what needs to be noticed. I just nodded and thanked the guys. There was probably more I should've said but…they said it all for me. My guilt coupled with Lucas's constant harassment prevented me from fighting back.

I guess I really am ashamed of myself.


	11. Silver: Justice

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_**  
Silver: "Justice"**

_January_  
Mom called for me again to get up so I could go through my usual daily routine. Take a bath, eat breakfast, walk to school, socialize, come home, eat dinner, do homework. Somewhere in there I get punched or teased by Lucas. Anyway…I didn't get up…after the fourth call. Mom had to come and check on me. The door opened and she had a clothes basket in one arm. She flipped on my bedroom light and yelled at me to get going. I complied and rolled out of bed. Mom closed the door and I shuffled over to my window. Snow. Not enough to close school for the day meaning I'll have to face Lucas sooner or later. I suppose I should reveal the fact that not all of my mornings have been like this since last summer. In fact, I only became this way after the conversation I had with my friends two weeks ago. Knowing that my guilt was what kept me from fighting off Lucas sunk in pretty deep. Right to the point where I asked myself a few days ago "Why even bother?" I guess that answered Bark's question. I am ashamed of myself.

* * *

Made it to school with no Lucas encounters. When I reached the comfort of my friends' company, I was relieved. I also realized how unnecessarily paranoid I became. Somehow, they saw it as well.

"Dude, this has got to stop **right now**. Either you man up and face Lucas or I'm splittin'. No reason for me to keep protecting a scared mouse. Er—no offense Cindy!" Bean quickly smiled to a passing female mouse.

The others didn't say anything which I appreciate them for doing that. Really, I'm not surprised Bean is fed up after half-a-year. He has every right to find better friends than me. Bark reminded us that the bell would ring soon and we went our separate ways. Honey walked alongside me since we had first period together. She tried to cheer me up saying that Bean was just overreacting because of something that happened to him on the way to school. Sure. I went along with it if it pleased her but…that was genuine anger in Bean.

"You don't have to strain yourself Honey." I said to her after a few moments. "Just let things run their course. It'll get better eventually."

The smile she put on…was fake. Now _she's_ having second thoughts about sticking around me. I think.

* * *

Lunch time. No sign of Bean…and surprisingly Bark. It was just me and Honey at our usual table. We sat away from the other kids at the far end of the rectangular table. Privacy just felt necessary right now. Honey and I sat opposite of each other eating our lunches in silence. She has to say something sooner or later. I just know it. This silence is probably really uncomfortable for her. When I saw that she had finished her pudding and touched nothing else in front of her I prepared myself for what was going to be another worry talk.

"Even the adults can't help." She looked off across the lunchroom.

That was weird. What's she talking about.

"You can tell a teacher, your parents, any adult you trust and still they won't be able to stop Lucas all the time. I wonder if his parents are aware of how he acts…"

"Beats me. They're obviously not trying hard enough." I said in between bites of my sandwich.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. All the more reason to stand up to him, huh?" she smiled again.

I returned a brief one before going back to my lunch.

"If anything, you should do it for others." She leaned forward.

"Why?" I said after wiping my mouth.

"Duh. To show that you do have a spine and that Lucas can't control you. People are saying things about you Silver…" She started twiddling her fingers. "Maybe if you did something, they'd stop talking. You'd get some respect. Girls kinda like a guy who knows what he wants and where he wants to go."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Just being a protector isn't everything. Gotta go on the offensive sometimes, y'know?"

I never gave much thought to what girls thought of me…or anyone for that matter. Maybe that explains a lot though. Since the start of the school year, I've been getting this feeling of…distance from everyone. Like I was being avoided or something. Having friends masked that up pretty well but it was still there. Then there's what Honey said about girls liking a strong guy. Blaze was always scolding me for being too scared to do things. Here I am, scared again but she's not here to pull me through. I guess Honey was onto something then. If I have to stand up for anyone, it's Blaze. She's done so much for me when she was living here. Wallowing in guilt while she's off trying to move on would be an insult to the courage she tried to give me. I have to face Lucas for her sake…and my sanity.

I thanked Honey for the advice and she had her familiar bright smile once again. The atmosphere felt lighter after that.

* * *

Now I could've gone about this new approach the direct way, but starting fights just isn't my thing. I know I have to be a fighter but I still want to be myself. Waiting for the opportunity was the only choice I had left. Until then, I walked the hallways with pride and even smiled at other students (despite getting weird looks from them). It wasn't long before Lucas showed up. It was at the end of the day. I was at my locker packing away the books I would need for homework when my locker slammed right in front of my face. The strap of my backpack was caught in the door. Lucas was standing to my right grinning with his hand on my locker door.

"Got some time birdhog?" Lucas said.

"Birdhog" was a new nickname he gave me recently.

"I'm not in the mood Lucas." I managed to yank the strap from the locker door. "I got things to do at home."

"I just wanna have a few words with you loser." Lucas stood in my way as I tried to walk around him.

"Go away." I said a little firmer.

I managed to shove past him but Lucas was quick to grab my arm. He started to say something but I cut him off by swinging my backpack in his face. Watching that bulky kid stumble back into the lockers felt…satisfying. It seemed that Honey was right in that I needed to fight back if I wanted to get Lucas off of me. I didn't care if nearly everyone around had stopped to look. Ok, well maybe I did but not because I was afraid of getting in trouble. All of these kids around me are now witnesses to what may be the biggest news in school this year: someone finally stood up to Lucas. There's a chance this could also inflate any negative rumors about me and Blaze, but if I play this scene out right the rumors could go away quickly.

"This is going to be the only time I say this to you." I made sure my voice was loud enough as I spoke to the slightly dazed wolf. "LEAVE ME ALONE. I have done nothing to you to deserve your harassment and I'm sick and tired of you and your friends following me around. Go do something else with your lives instead of wasting other's time!"

After hoisting my backpack on my shoulder, the crowd made a generous path for me on my way out. Cheering followed me as I made my exit and somewhere out there I'm sure Blaze is thinking about me and if I finally grew up.

* * *

On our way home, the news had already reached the guys via a text message on Honey's cell phone. Her parents let her have one at _her_ age?

"Well my mom said that it's for if there's an emergency so me and all my sisters got one." Honey explained after I asked. "Anyway, _you_ actually punched Lucas in the face?"

"What? No, no I didn't do that. I just shoved him off of me and told him off. That's all." I said.

Bean was practically on my back at that moment as he laughed heartily still excited over the news.

"DUDE! It was still freaking awesome that you did that! Do you know how popular you're going to get?" I was able to get Bean off of me at that point. "Oh and about what I said this morning…sorry man. Didn't mean to flip out on you so badly."

"It's fine Bean." I almost forgot about this morning.

Bark gave me his praises too, though he was a bit more humble with them.

"It's good to know that you still have enough pride in you to not put up with his abuse. Though, I should remind you that this may incite his anger and he could lash back."

Could've done without the last bit. Regardless of revenge, standing up was what mattered to me the most. If Lucas does have a problem with it, then I have no trouble with him approaching me for a fight. This time I'm ready to take him on.

* * *

There are times when I'm reminded that I lack some important traits that either Blaze or my friends have. The ability to see more than one outcome being one of them. While I did anticipate Lucas potentially coming after me directly for a fight, I failed to consider him and his goons going after my friends. Later in the week on that Saturday, it was one of Honey's friends, a sparrow named Tracy, that stopped me while I was on my way to Bean's house in the afternoon. She looked a little roughed up and upset. I had to calm her down to get her to talk slower.

"Me, Honey, and the girls…we were walking to Honey's house when Lucas and those weasels attacked us. We ran…and they caught up with us in the shortcut." The dirt path in the forest. Everyone around here just referred to it as the shortcut since it's an easy way to get to school. "We had to fight back but Honey…she…"

"It's ok. Just go and find the police. Tell them what happened." I said to her before taking off towards the shortcut.

That was probably the first time I ever made a quick decision like that. Then again, it's only because of what happened last week when a police officer kept Lucas and those idiots from hurting me and Honey. Recalling the look on Lucas's face, I'd say that the local law enforcement is the only thing that gets to him. It took me a few minutes but I finally reached the shortcut and could see Honey's two other friends fending off Lucas and one of the twins. Where's Honey and the other twin? As soon as I got close, I tackled Lucas off of Angela, a squirrel, and pinned him to the ground. When he got a chance to look at me…he was happy?

"I knew I could draw you out somehow," the wolf said as he grabbed my arms.

To him, I was nothing more than a rag doll as he threw me off of him easily. My vision was distorted temporarily but when I could see clearly, Lucas's heavy shoes were already coming for me so I rolled up to my feet. The wolf bulldozed me into a tree and held me up by my neck.

"You can't do this Lucas…not fair." I could feel the air leaving me quickly as I struggled to break his hold.

"You're the one who decided to be a man and stand up to me so deal with it." His rancid breath stung my eyes.

Three times, he slammed my head into the tree and tossed me aside. I wanted to get up so badly but everything was blurry and I was sure my brain was spinning in place. A girl's voice yelled and I saw Angela try to attack Lucas. She got him…or at least I think she did but he threw the squirrel aside and came back for me. Finally I was upright and made a desperate attempt to punch Lucas…but I missed and he got me instead. The pain I felt was pretty bad but I'm sure nothing was broken or fractured on my face. When I pushed myself up to my knees I could see blood in the patch of snow I fell into and some on my scarf. A nose bleed. Then someone tripped over me and it was the weasel kid, bruised and bloodied, scrambling across the ground as he got up and took off. Screams and swears came from behind and I looked back to see that Angela and Suzette, the badger who fought off the one weasel, had ganged up on Lucas. They eventually got him on his knees where he just curled up to protect himself from their attacks.

"Honey went that way!" Suzette had stopped and pointed off into the trees. "That other twin followed her! Hurry!"

Crap! I didn't get a good look at the twin that ran off. If she's alone with who I think it is… Immediately I ran into the trees hoping that nothing had happened to Honey. It wasn't long before I heard screaming up ahead and picked up the pace. I could barely see clearly through all the foliage the other twin struggling to hold Honey. Suddenly he yelled releasing her and she stumbled away while he held his hand. I jumped into the scene as I leapt over a bush and went straight to Honey. Her red coat had a rip in its sleeve with the zipper broken off. What's even worse was the red cut on her neck. I tried to ask what happened but the second she laid eyes on me, she tackled me down in a hug.

"Oh god, you're here!" she cried into my ear.

I gently pushed her off so I could sit up.

"What happened? Are you ok Honey?" While I didn't want to hurt her anymore, I tried my best to get a better look at the cut on her neck.

Honey just shook her head and held me again.

"He grabbed me Silver… He grabbed me and wouldn't let go."

…It was either the memories resurfacing or natural instinct kicking in that made my blood boil. I didn't think this would happen again, let alone to another girl I knew. Now that it has, there was no way I was going to stand by and do nothing. The bastard **had** to die. My actions weren't my own after that. I practically flew up and grabbed the pervert by his neck. Apparently Honey had bit him in his hand since it was bleeding a little. I didn't give him the time to think or retaliate. I didn't even care about the pocket knife in his other hand. I just wanted to strangle the life out of him. Soon enough, I forced him onto his back and he tried to get me with the knife but failed. I was able to grab his wrist and twisted it until he lost his grip of the weapon. The other hand with the bite marks immediately went for my face and tried to push me off. Somewhere in the midst of that power struggle, I managed to grab a rock I couldn't see and bashed his face with it. Over and over until he began to cry and begged for me to stop. No. You don't have that option just like the girls you hurt. A gash opened up on the side of his face near his eye and blood spilt out splattering as the rock came down again and again. _Help _he cried and I was amused. I wondered if his victims said that when he and his brother attacked them. The satisfaction from the rock died quickly and I tossed it aside in favor of my fists. The punches stung a little at first but by the third punch I became accustomed to it and even started to love the pain. The kid was crying now and I wondered if this asshole and his brother felt pleased when they made girls cry.

Before I knew it, the satisfying moment had ended as hands of mercy grabbed my arms and dragged me away. I wasn't done with him yet. Not by a long shot. I struggled against the outside force spitting vengeance and spouting obscenities that I would **never** utter to my parents. However the outside force continued to drag me away as a police officer walked into view and helped the weeping devil to his feet.

* * *

My blood had cooled off by the time the police officers and I were out of the shortcut and at their cars on the side of the road. Everything seemed surreal; my body feeling detached from the scene as I watched a handcuffed Lucas guided into the back of the first car. The twins, also handcuffed with one of them bleeding severely, were pushed into the same car that drove off seconds later. I sat on the cold, hard grass as the few remaining officers talked to the two beaten up girls and Tracey, who I assumed came back when she led the officers here. Apparently, Lucas was able to overpower Angela and Suzette just after I left and fought back in time for a couple of officers to see the girls as victims and the bully for who he really was. After their statements were taken, the three climbed into the second car that drove off soon after. Honey, still crying and holding up her tattered coat, came into view being led by a compassionate looking female officer and I instinctively wanted to go over to her. To my surprise, the same metal cuffs that restrained Lucas and the weasels were now on me. Considering I was the only "victim" wearing them, I had been given the same status as my enemies. Some hero I turned out to be.


	12. Shadow: The Path I Walk

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_  
**Shadow: The Path I Walk**

_February_  
I've grown tired…no homesick. Ever since I escaped from Prison Island four years ago, I've enjoyed my freedom. Nowadays I no longer wish to meander about and want to return home to ARK. Lately, while dealing with the town's troubles, I tried to think of a way to accomplish that but nothing comes to mind. On top of that, there's also a few other issues that have been bothering me for a few months. Espio's increasing persistence to "pry" me open and Sonic's presence, as always. Now two more distractions have been put on the table: Silver and Blaze. The former jarred my nerves about the unseen bond I share with those other hedgehogs. The bond that determines that no matter how far we are from each other, the three of us will end up together no matter what. The latter, a girl who captured my interest, has kept me asking more and more questions about her and, more importantly, her connection with Silver. During my last encounter with Blaze, I blatantly stated my intentions of having an innocent conversation with her. It's just that getting close enough to her is a problem because of her friends. Espio told me about the conversation he had with her a few months ago and he planted seeds of curiosity within her. However, I've become impatient and can no longer wait for the cat's curiosity to kick in. I'll **have** to seek her out.

From the second-story window of the abandoned fire station in the downtown area, I spotted Espio in an alleyway across the street. He was invisible but I could still see his outline against the city textures. A few cars drove by and he shot across the street entering into the station's garage bay via the rusted door with a hole in it. I sauntered on over to the gaping hole in the floor a few feet from me and jumped down into the bay area.

"Took you long enough." I pin pointed his location right next to me and poked him in the chest prompting Espio to come out of camouflage. "Anyway, let's go. We have to find Blaze quickly."

"Uh sure, but there's something you'll want to know," Espio said.

"What is it?" I stopped on my way towards the garage door.

"Sonic's gone and I don't think he's coming back."

I heard him clearly but for clarification I approached Espio, with intimidation, and asked him to repeat what he said.

"He's gone for good…I think. When I passed by his and Rouge's place a few blocks from here, there were some black cars outside of the apartment building and a couple of guys in black suits. Sonic came out along with Rouge and some more guys in suits. He got into one of the cars and they left."

"Black cars… What about Rouge?" I asked.

"Still at the apartments, as far as I know."

G.U.N. doesn't make "house calls" unless it's for something specific. While I was doing my best to avoid Sonic for the past few weeks, if he had done something worth getting taken away I would've found out about it quickly. It was obvious that there was more to the situation than meets the eye. This also plays in favor of my current agenda: getting close to Blaze. With the hyperactive hedgehog out of the way, I'll have easy access to the girl and to learning more about Silver. Approaching him directly is too much of a risk since his parents, like Rouge, must also be G.U.N. agents. I chuckled lightly before beckoning Espio to follow me outside, but he stopped me again.

"What's going on Shadow? You know something don't you?" He had grown bolder in speaking to me judging by his tone.

I looked at him from over my shoulder.

"Yes, I do," I said. "Keep up with me or stay out of my way."

I peered through the hole in the metal garage door to check for any passing cars. The tattered street in the dilapidated neighborhood was empty, so I rushed out of the fire station and into the alleyway a few feet away. Espio's footfalls were close behind me. For the next few minutes, we snaked through the maze-like alleys, shooting across roadways like rats, all while Espio tried again and again to get me to talk about "what I knew." We came upon a small open lot, hidden among a few buildings and paved with gravel, and that's where I stopped. Espio, who was close behind, bumped into me and I pushed him away and into a frail, chain link fence.

"I'll tell you what you want to know," I said. "but only out of necessity for what's to come."

"What's to come?" His footing slipped underneath him when the fence began to bend suddenly from his weight.

"Those men you saw. They were from G.U.N."

"G.U.N.? As in the worldwide military organization? What would they want with Sonic?"

This was it. In just a moment I would invite Espio to cross the threshold that I've barred him from over the past year. The threshold that is my past and the connection I share with Sonic and Silver. Not only would I reveal personal information, but I would also be challenging him to follow me on the dangerous path that I'm laying out.

"I can only speculate on why the military took away Sonic, but I can tell you that it's not a mere coincidence or unusual circumstance that they came for him." I said in response to Espio's question.

He remained silent meaning he was anticipating what I had to say.

"Sonic and I come from the same background along with another hedgehog in this town. G.U.N. just so happens to be a part of that background."

My chest tightened. I've only taken baby steps into reliving my past and already the rage has begun to build up in me. Still, I pushed forward in my exposition to Espio.

"Years ago, the home we lived in was seized violently by G.U.N. As a result, the three of us were taken into their custody and locked away like pets in a shelter. The trauma of seeing my childhood home defiled got to me and I broke free of G.U.N.'s cage four years ago. I've been able to evade their attempts to recapture me, but now I've grown tired of playing cat and mouse with them. I've decided to get to work on retaking my home and showing the almighty military that they are **not** gods and they **cannot** do as they please!"

It was hard holding down the wrath in me but I was able to contain it in a balled up fist. Espio's silence had gone unnoticed until a few seconds had passed and I turned back to him. Incredulous would be the best way to describe the expression he had. I suppose my history was a little too much for him to swallow. Since he's become useless to me now, I decided to take my leave.

"What are you planning to do exactly?" Espio's voice called out after me.

When I looked back, determination was his new expression.

"Do you really want to know?" I may have judged him too soon.

"Of course. For so long I thought you kept me at a distance because you grew to dislike something within me. I thought that even more when you started taking an interest in Blaze and lately I've been considering where to travel to next. Then you pull this out of nowhere. Did you really consider me to be…a friend of yours but you were just hiding it?"

That again, huh? I swear, there are just a few things in this world that are beyond me like the need to have a bond with someone. I've accepted the unwilling bond I have with Sonic and Silver simply because it's fate. But I have no use for connecting with anyone else. The few years I spent traveling have taught me much about the behaviors of people on this planet. I've decided that the memories of Maria are all that I'll ever need. Since Espio has shown signs that he's still interested in tagging along with me, I might as well set out some bait and see if he'll take it.

"If you want answers that badly, then help me find Blaze," I smiled at my two-faced scheme. "She has information that I need before I can take my revenge against G.U.N."

"Of course. Should I bring her to you?" he said.

"No. She's atypical but she's not completely unpredictable. I'll run into you two eventually."

The plan was agreed upon. Espio camouflaged himself and his footfalls took off across the pavement where they gave the illusion that he disappeared into one of the brick buildings. I decided to stop by Rouge's place and check out the scenery for myself.

Lacking Espio's invisibility skill, the rooftops would be my safest route to observing the area around Rouge's apartment building. Just in case any G.U.N. agents were still around town. Traversing the downtown area was easy work for me at this point. Hopping and dashing across rooftops, occasionally using fire escapes in between distanced buildings. In a minute or so I was in the vicinity of Rouge's apartment building. A rather dilapidated neighborhood but still livable for those willing to put up with its shortcomings. My movements slowed and I switched over to stealth mode keeping an eye on the streets for anything vehicle that looked remotely G.U.N.-like. Everything's clear, no agents in sight. I guess Sonic was their only target. Perhaps Rouge went along as well even if it wasn't necessary…or perhaps not. I spotted her exiting out of the apartment complex, dressed in plain clothes. I'm not exactly pleased that she's still here but she's less of a threat than Sonic even if she is a G.U.N. agent. Satisfied, I took off departing from the downtown area hoping to come across Blaze sooner or later in the day.

* * *

Common sense would say "Wait by her home and she'll show up eventually." But laying in wait would make me a target were someone to accidentally see me. Not to mention boring as hell. I slowed to a stop in the open field I was running through. To my right was a small slope leading up to the forested part of town; in the distance I could see cars and trucks driving along the major road that joined the two opposite parts of this town. Off to the left were a couple of abandoned buildings, but beyond those were the houses, shops, and other small buildings that made up the suburbia part of Emerald Town. Espio was somewhere among that mess hopefully trying his hardest to find Blaze. All the luck to him. I had the unfortunate fate of running into a dilemma at this point; which way to go. The distant rustling of the forest beckoned me to give way to my curiosity of Silver and how he turned out after the ARK incident. The barely audible but still recognizable noises of Emerald Town suburbia—chirping car horns and the faint roars of trucks—asked that I not take such an unnecessary risk and learn more about Silver via Blaze. In short, adventure or playing it safe.

…If memory serves me correct, I'm a high-level suspect that the local law enforcement _are drawn to_ when something goes down. I think the attention of more highly trained G.U.N. agents is the last thing I need on my way out of here. It's tough as it is with Rouge around, that gossip regent. Almost nothing gets by her and I wouldn't be surprised if Sonic had anything to do with that. He was always the type that loved to hear himself…talk. That sudden realization just helped me decide where to go. Sonic loves to talk; therefore it's safe to assume he talks with everyone. Including Blaze who must've mentioned Silver sometime or another since becoming friends with Sonic. That information would've eventually traveled down the hedgehog grapevine to Rouge unless Sonic has forgotten everything about ARK. No. He's only a year younger that me. There's no way he could've forgotten that massacre. In any case, I was already on my way towards the abandoned buildings and suburban area. I'm sure Rouge has already made contact with whoever is acting as Silver's "parents" and warned them about me. So I can mark off the village area as a danger zone just in case I come back here in the near future.

An energized boost from my air shoes helped me leap over the frail chain link fence and behind one of the few abandoned buildings. Just as I was smoothly sliding around the corner of a building, something big, metal, and blowing hot air almost took my head off. The near miss sent me sliding out of control into some empty metal garbage bins. As soon as this ringing leaves my ears, the culprit is going to pay dearly. I huffed and climbed my way out of the metal mess and immediately spotted the kamikaze idiot. Jet…and some oversized metal…board thing. The poor hawk landed face first in the dirt by the chain link fence and for a second I felt sorry. …Or not. I was actually thinking of what to break first; his legs, skull, or beak. He tends to talk too much like Sonic. Just as Jet was pushing himself up, I offered to help him the rest of the way and lifted the kid by his neck and onto his feet. The brief display of freakish strength told him that it was me and, as expected, he began to quiver.

"Sh-Sh-Shadow." Jet slowly turned revealing a forced smile. "What a coincidence running into you out here." I quickly grasped onto his arm. "I-I-I swear! I wasn't trying to kill you or anything! You just came out of nowhere!"

"Oh? So it's my fault then?" I said tilting my head.

"N-N-No! What I meant to say was…I…you…the board…"

I think I've screwed with his head enough this week. There's actually a weekly quota for how much I can do that to the poor kid. Jet relaxed easily after I released him and ordered him to just drop it. That clunky metal board had caught my interest. When I went over to pick it up, it was just as heavy as it looked; perhaps even heavier to someone lacking my unusual strength. Two turbine fans, like giant thimbles, were attached to the back end. A pair of small but sturdy wings were attached to the sides. Aside from skid marks and small dents here and there, the construction of the craft was solid. Almost professional.

"What the heck is this thing?" I said to Jet.

"That's an Air Board. Wave made it." Jet was regaining some of his confidence.

"So what? Big sister makes a toy for her bored baby brother?" He really wasn't related to Wave or that overgrown baby, Storm. They just grew up together in the same orphanage and were adopted and taken in by a naïve but thoughtful woman.

"It's nothing like that Shadow!" Jet took the board from me. "Wave is pretty serious about making gadgets and stuff like this. She always has been. I don't know why she got into it but I do know that she takes pride in whatever she invents. She's really putting her all into perfecting this Air Board. I think she knows that she's got something worthwhile here."

"And you want the world to know her true talent?"

"Yeah. That's why I'm entering into the World Grand Prix when I'm old enough. The world needs to know about her talent…and know about how great I am."

Funny. That's the first declaration he's ever made that I actually believe. It was always obvious that Jet was an athletic guy and reaching for the unobtainable is right up his alley. What better way to do it than enter into a world-wide competition that combines the best of the athletes with the best inventors. Jet and Wave would definitely find their place among the pros…not so sure about Storm though.

"Amusing." Was my only response and Jet was right to question it. "Despite all of the bickering you do with Sonic, you still end up acting like him in so many ways. Are you absolutely sure he's your adversary? 'Cause it seems like you two are good friends who bond over petty disputes and competitions."

"HEY! Don't you put me on the same level as that half-brained nobody! He's no where near as good as me and NEVER will be! I'm gonna use Wave's Air Board invention to become a worldwide hero and leave that blue rat in the dust!"

I never made it my agenda to make friends while I was in Emerald Town. Jet came into my social circle because of our common irritation of Sonic. As long as this single-minded kid is still alive and kicking, I can at least get a reprieve from Sonic from time to time knowing that there's someone else out there to distract him.

"Do what you want. I'm out of here." I turned to leave. "And don't break your neck on that thing. Wouldn't want to deprive the world of its next great hero and miss out on putting Sonic in his place."

Jet gave me his word before starting up the noisy Air Board. I didn't bother to stick around to see how that clumsy piece of metal got into the air and left the area quickly.

* * *

Twilight. No longer day and not quite night. I can't say if it's my favorite time of day but I do get a serene feeling flowing through my blood. What's that called again…oh yes, relaxation. Against my initial decision earlier today, I decided to go ahead and wait by Blaze's residence. A small patch of trees next to the apartment complex she lives in. With a clear view of the only entrance into complex, I was hoping to come across her soon. A few hours passed, twilight arrived, and here I am still waiting. Most good children are already at home by this time. Blaze would be as well thus making all of my efforts—

…Voices and footfalls. Not too far from here. They were coming from behind me, deeper into the patch of trees so I moved in further. Seconds later I came across Blaze and Espio chatting like good acquaintances. They stopped upon noticing me.

"Uh, Shadow. I was just about to—"

"Think of this as fate. In any case, you did good. Now leave." I said waving Espio away.

He was hesitant but nodded to Blaze before leaving the two of us. Once I was sure that the chameleon was gone, I turned to Blaze. Nervous, as I expected, but confident enough to see that I was no threat to her.

"So how much did he tell you now?" Best to get to unnecessary things out of the way quickly.

"Enough to know that you're leaving town. Didn't get a chance to say why though. He found me on my way back from Tikal's place and dragged me over here to talk. Then you showed up just as Espio got started," said Blaze.

"Good. That'll make this conversation go easier."

As I started to walk in the direction of the apartment complex, Blaze followed and took it upon herself to start up the discussion.

"What now? I didn't mind Espio showing up out of nowhere but you showing up right after means that—"

"Yes, I was looking for you and using Espio to help. Silver. I need to know everything you know about him."

She stopped and I looked back at her. The surprised look on Blaze's face meant that she was concerned as to how I knew about the hedgehog.

"Last year, during the Garden Festival," I said. "I saw him and his…parents arrive at the party your were at. Presumably a friends and family affair?"

Still silent. I can only guess that she's getting ready to go on the defensive knowing that her perception of me is based on my reputation among her peers. She started to look disturbed, maybe even ready to leave if I were to make any sudden movements or say the wrong thing. I need to relieve her fears.

"Stay away from me and _especially_ Silver," Blaze said. "I'm outta here."

"I'm only interested in knowing about Silver." I stopped her just as she passed by. "You don't have to worry about me going after him or you, regardless of what others may have told you."

Even with her back towards me, I could tell that Blaze had gone into deep contemplation. I have to tread lightly here if I want to change her view of me.

"Espio told me that I should at least hear you out. That you're not the bad kid everyone thinks you are," she said while turning towards me.

"And Rouge?" I asked.

"Stay away. You'll just drag me down like you did with Espio."

"But you don't believe that, do you?"

"I'm smart enough to figure out that when something happens, every person who sees it has a different perspective of that event."

Haha. Sharp as a nail. I knew there was something to like about Blaze.

"How about an exchange of information." I leaned back on a nearby tree.

"Depends." She crossed her arms. "Make a good impression and _maybe_ I'll tell you _a little_ about Silver."

Intellectually, I'm smitten. Her hard bargaining skills have me tickled as well. She was unfazed by my compliments when I told her.

"Fine then. Where should I start?" I decided to let her interrogation of me guide the discussion.

"Why push people away?" Blaze said. "Even though it looks like you're causing trouble, you actually do good things around here. But instead of forcing people to see the truth, you allow bad rumors to spread. Then you push away those who do know the truth as if you're content with playing the bad guy. Isn't that just stupid?"

A little philosophical but straight for the jugular, just as I expected.

"Stupid is the perception you get from the outside," I said. "From my point of view, it's just easier this way. I'm just avoiding that emotional struggle for public acceptance that one-dimensional celebrities go through. Cut the fodder and get to the meat of the matter, if you will."

"So you're lazy." My involuntary wince at Blaze's words was just that. Involuntary.

Idleness is something that I do _not_ want to be associated with.

"Well that settles it," she laughed out. "You're content with your current reputation because it would be too much of a hassle for you to go out of your way and make a good name for yourself. Why fight against the rapids and achieve something when you can just go with the flow and take things as they come."

"Because the fish that fights is the fish that'll most likely be targeted by predators." I was quick with my response and even used a louder and forceful tone to kill whatever nonchalant mood she was getting into. "Jumping in and out of the water as it goes up stream; a very tasty meal for a hungry fisherman. Even more enticing for the fisherman who likes a challenge."

Right then I had a daredevil idea to kick things up a notch and reveal a part of myself that not even Espio knows about yet. I tapped into my teleportation abilities. A blue flash served as a transition between my vision of Blaze before me to seeing the back of her. She instantly panicked looking around until my voice caused her to jump and spin about.

"In the short twelve years of my life, I learned that until we've achieved our dreams, _everyone_ is a fish swimming in the same stream." I teleported again to her right side. "Just imagine it. All of us swimming upstream. Some fighting modestly beneath the surface, some going at it full force jump in and out of the water, and the rest just giving up and going wherever the stream flows." Teleported to her left side. "Meanwhile, sitting along the banks are the achievers who made it and want to feast on those who haven't. Most are eyeing the ones who look ready to give up. But there are some who specifically target those who fight the hardest." Teleported to a branch above her. "They live for the thrills but after the thrill of the struggle subsides, they get excited by taking on anyone that'll put up a good struggle." I ended my teleporting jumps around the area standing next to her. "Bullies to be exact."

By now the look on Blaze's face was a cross between shock and…a general loss for words. She backed away, slowly, as if I was some monster or inflicted with some horrid disease. I wasn't sure if she was able to see what my point was after that small display of my powers, so I filled in the blanks for her.

"My point, after all of that, is the second reason of why I allow my reputation to be what it is. _I don't want to draw a great amount of attention by fighting against my reputation._ I also don't want to inflate it either." I paused for a moment and Blaze still had nothing to say. "People are after me," I continued with a more calm voice. "People who prefer to have me dead than alive. Caring about public perception would be like putting a target on my back. Good attention, bad attention. I don't want any of it." And considering my recent change of plans, I don't _need_ any of it now.

Blaze did something interesting while I was talking, she lowered her head in a remorseful way. Perhaps she suddenly felt bad about any presumptuous thoughts she had about me. Regardless of her thoughts at the moment, I knew she had nothing more to ask of me. Time for her to pay the piper and share with me what she knows about Silver.

"Is that all?" Blaze suddenly spoke just before I could. "Is that why you hide yourself from everyone, including Espio? Because you have special powers?"

She held out her hands before her and closed her eyes. What is she doing? Is she making some pathetic attempt to bond with me? It's certainly more pitiful than Espio's efforts. Her breathing increased…something's not right here. I was becoming concerned if Blaze was going to have a nervous breakdown because of something I said. Her breathing continued to escalate and I was left with no choice but to approach. As soon as I did…something amazing and unexpected occurred. A flame ignited in her hand instantaneously, going as high as the tip of her ponytail before disappearing. The shock of the fire sent both of us recoiling out of fear; she fell to the ground while I kept my footing but was nonetheless stunned.

"I…I can't control it very well." That's a fact I'm not disputing. "But I haven't used it since…since last summer."

There's fear in her voice. But of what? When I tried to approach Blaze to help her up, she rejected my advance and stood on her own. Overly defensive. I think I just tapped into a part of her I wasn't expecting to uncover. While I pursued Blaze because of her connection with Silver, this revelation of her powers took me by surprise. I kept my distance from the startled and emotionally fragile girl and figured it was best to let her say whatever she needed to say.

"I've kept these feelings bottled up for so long," said Blaze. "I thought I was over that incident a month afterward, that I wouldn't be bothered by it again. And then you showed up on the first day of school and it came back to me. The fear of having it happen again. Only Silver knows what happened to me and about my powers. Maybe even those who were involved know of my powers as well. Then again they might've written it off as a freak accident. In any case, I've told no one else and I wanted to keep it that way and live out a quiet life."

Her voice quivered as she spoke. Blaze was holding back the tears of her pain. Generally, I respect the privacy of those who guard it dearly. But in this case the curiosity to know outweighed my manners. Seeing this new side of Blaze has created and avalanche of genuine interest in me.

"May I ask what happened to you that force you to hide yourself?" I said bluntly.

There was a brief pause in her quivering before she caved in and curled over holding herself. She managed to squeal out a "No" in response and began to cry. I left it at that. Eventually Blaze was on her knees holding herself while trying to force out all of her anguish. It's been years since I've felt remorse for someone in general. I believe the last time that happened was on ARK. In any case, it's nearly dark now. Don't want to add insult to injury by leaving Blaze out here crying by herself…and risk getting a cold from this bitter weather. I'm sure the jacket she's wearing will hold up since she clearly doesn't need any physical contact at the moment. Let alone from me. I sat against a tree a few feet from Blaze and just watched her. It wasn't long before her sobbing started to get to me. Better relieve the tension a little.

"If this is the path you've chosen, then you have to learn how to pick yourself up and keep going in the end," I said to her.

Her crying ceased as she looked up at me wiping the tears from her eyes.

"As long as the memories are there, the pain will be there as well. You can either use it to your advantage and better yourself or let it eat you alive. There's no undoing the past. I'd elaborate on that more but since you're keeping a tight lip on your issues, I can only do the same to be fair."

She understood and again I'm enamored by our intellectual common ground. I would love to spend an entire day immersed in vague conversations with her filled with dialogue fit for a pompous pair of upper class citizens. My entranced feelings aside, Blaze has yet to pay her dues about Silver. Best to go easy on her at this point.

"Just tell me one last thing," I said gazing up at the dark sky through the bare tree branches.

"Yeah?" her voice cracked.

"Silver. Does he have any powers like you?"

"No. Do you know him or something?"

I chuckled. "Used to but it's been so long now that we might as well be strangers. He probably doesn't remember me anyway. I'll stay out here for as long as you need to, Blaze. Just don't worry your parents."

Another silent nod from her and she pulled in her knees and held them while I reclined back against the tree. Today turned out to be more successful than I hoped it to be. But more importantly, I got what I needed from Blaze. Silver's powers haven't awakened yet, so my plans for vengeance against G.U.N. are off to a good start. A bonus to that: Blaze's powers. Untamed right now but with the right training and augmented by certain energy…the anticipation just paralyzes me with delight!


	13. Blush

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_  
**Blush**

_February_  
What have I done? Spilling my heart out to Shadow like that… While I managed to avoid talking about the incident, I promised myself that I would **never** tell anyone about my powers. That's a memory reserved for me and Silver and I wanted to keep it that way. Who knows what Shadow is going to do now that he knows. …Then again, why am I thinking of him in that way? Not only has he said it but Espio has as well. That my perception of Shadow is based on how my peers see him. So I shouldn't be surprised at all that I'm starting to have second thoughts of him after our little conversation last night. In fact, a lot of things have me reconsidering my view of him like the fact that he has powers and has been emotionally scarred too. For a moment, it felt like I had met my equal. I suppose that tinge I felt within my heart on Halloween night wasn't just a coincidence. My conscious somehow knew that Shadow was a kindred spirit, someone who I could relate to on an emotional level. At least that's what I think that tinge meant.

But what he said about _the path you've chosen._ He obviously assumed that I'm doing the same that he did. That I'm closing my heart off to everyone except those I feel are closest to me. There's no way I'm doing that, not with the amount of friends I have…

And that whole _in the end_ bit. There might be times when I'll be alone emotionally. But I'll always have someone there to help me. It won't ever be just me picking myself up after an event and trying to figure out where to go from there…

Why is everything becoming so bothersome all of the sudden? I thought moving across town into a new neighborhood and all was suppose to be my fresh start. Emerald Town, while not a metropolis, puts other small towns to shame by managing to keep the humble nature of a small town and uphold the pseudo characteristics of a populated city. _That_ was supposed to be my safety net; the city-like presence this town has in the sense that you can become a nobody just by relocating yourself a few miles elsewhere. But now…the safety net is broken. My secret has been exposed to someone new.

I remembered what Vector told me. That Sonic and Shadow _both_ showed up in town around the same time. That raised suspicions about their bitter hatred towards each other. And when Shadow asked questions about Silver, even more suspicions surfaced. I'm starting to wonder if all of this was just a matter of fate. That this bothersome present I'm in now was already predetermined the day I befriended Silver. If so, then this so-called "path" I've chosen may be smoke and mirrors for all I know. That no matter what I do to distance myself from those three, it'll lead straight back to them someway…somehow.

You know, Shadow saw me with Silver last summer during the festival yet didn't confront me about him until yesterday. While I could attribute that to me being around my friends constantly, I can't rule out the possibility that questions may have been swirling in his head during that huge gap. Since he went out of his way to get the answers he wanted, it's only sensible that I do the same. Besides, I can't stand _not_ knowing about stuff that could effect me. I need to find Sonic. There's no doubt that chatterbox will know something about Shadow, maybe something I don't even know.

While it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the sunny weather wasn't enough to deter me from my mission of finding Sonic. After putting on some warm clothes and throwing on a light jacket, I headed out the front door determined to hit all the usual spots Sonic would be at during the weekend. The second I walked out of my apartment building, I stopped. Espio was standing there…obviously waiting for me. We didn't bother exchanging words, I just followed him to the park. Specifically, to the forest at the edge of the park. The same place where he and I spoke a few months ago. No surprise, Shadow was there. _Now_ what does he want?

"Feeling better?" Shadow asked upon my approach.

"Somewhat." I decided to keep this frank and not fall into any emotional pitfalls this time. "If you're hoping to get more info out of me, tough luck."

"Don't need to. Just thought I'd be a gentleman and bid a farewell to an unexpected friend I made on my last day in town."

Farewell? What's _really_ going on? I raised an eyebrow before responding.

"Even if I asked nicely, you won't tell me where you two are heading off to right?" I said.

"That's right," he said bluntly.

"Is that all you wanted to say?" I think I got a somewhat good grasp on Shadow at this point. A simple goodbye wouldn't warrant dragging me out here.

And I was right. He waved Espio off and the chameleon obeyed and turned invisible. A few tree branches above us shifted as Espio moved away hopping from branch to branch.

"Do you know how special you are?" Shadow said.

"I know I'm _different_ from others," I said. "I'm not too proud of those differences but I'll live with them if I have to."

Shadow stared at me for a second, his head cocked to the side. Then he smiled…smirked actually. Like a laughing scoff when someone doesn't believe what they just heard.

"Different…but not special? Pardon my use of youthful slang but why the harsh treatment _dude_?"

I laughed though tried to hide it. The unnecessary beach boy accent was a little overkill for him but I understood he was honestly curious about my choice of words.

"Because," I said after getting out the last laugh. "It just is. That's all there is to it. Nothing really great about setting stuff on fire if you ask me."

"Heh. Fair enough."

Shadow sighed looking around and shifting his weight on his legs. Looks like he's ready to leave.

"Oh, if you're planning on running around town looking for Sonic, don't bother. The kid's gone," Shadow said.

Gone? Seriously? I asked what happened and I should've known that he would answer as vaguely as possible.

"Let's just say fate whisked him away. How's that?" He even made dainty motions with his finger in the air as he said it.

"You know that has suspicious written all over. So don't be surprised if me and my friends trace it back to you even when you're long gone." I responded to his light-hearted tone with a dead-serious one. Even crossed my arms for good effect.

"Make all the assumptions you want." He shrugged his shoulders. "It's obvious at this point that you get me about as well as I get you. All that aside, Espio and I will be gone for a long time. May not even be coming back."

"So you'll tell me you're leaving but skirt around specific locations?" I said smiling.

"Top secret stuff. Like the spies you know." He smiled in return. "In any case, would you like to come with us?"

For a moment I was taken aback. Stunned and not sure what to say. Shadow repeated himself again only this time he held out a hand...and he wasn't asking.

"Come with us. It'll be worthwhile." I'd say that borderlines begging...or demanding.

I refused my reason being that I liked living here and wanted to live out a full childhood. Shadow dropped his hand and shrugged his shoulders.

"I tried. When you do catch wind of my antics, please don't think ill of me."

Shadow called out to Espio and the chameleon returned. Reappearing on a tree branch nearby and jumped down next to Shadow.

"Is that all you got?" I joked. "Ask a girl out, get rejected, and that's the best you can do for an exit?"

He scoffed arrogantly again and teleported inches from my face. My heart jumped from the surprise and from his height as he glared me down.

"I don't ask girls out. I _take_ them when I want to." His eyes scanned my face. "And from all of that blushing it seems you like it that way too. And how's _this_ for an exit?"

He playfully poked my nose on his final word emphasis and walked back to Espio. Right there, standing next to his friend, Shadow held his arms out before him…and this light began to appear at his chest area, at the tuff of white fur. It grew brighter taking on a diamond shape until a blue colored gem appeared floating before the hedgehog. It looked small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

"Remember this sight well Blaze," said Shadow. "Someday, the world will be changed by this power."

Shadow closed his eyes and immediately the wind began to pick up swirling throughout the area. I pressed a hand down onto my ponytail on top of my head to keep it from my face. The more the wind blew, the brighter the gem glowed until all color was lost and it was nothing but a blinding light at the hedgehog's chest.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" I heard Shadow shout after I shielded my eyes.

A thunderous crash deafened me briefly and then…silence. When I opened my eyes both Shadow and Espio were gone. The wind blasted area where they stood was the only evidence left behind. Forget the friendly banter and slight flirting. What the hell did I just get pulled into?


	14. Silver: Fame and Attraction

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_**  
Silver: Fame and Attraction**

_March_  
Two months ago I was handcuffed. Thankfully I wasn't carted off to jail like some criminal. Just brought down to the station and waited there for my parents to pick me up. There's no point in saying they were upset. That much was a given. Being grounded for an entire month was also a given...well not one that I expected. Despite my punishment having been lifted two weeks ago, my reputation at school had obviously changed shortly after the incident. I remember being dropped off at school the week after my fight with Lucas and the twins and, upon walking in, people noticed me. Every face I came across turned in my direction. Fingers pointed, voices whispered...and in a good way. I wasn't sure how to react to it all. It wasn't long until my friends informed me of my new status as the "popular kid."

"Dude! Everyone's talking about you and how you kicked Lucas's butt!" Bean nearly choked me from my left as we walked down the hallway.

"A hero among the meek. You certainly turned over a new leaf," Bark said walking behind us.

"Hey, when you're ungrounded, do you think you could hang out after school for cheerleader practice? My friends all want to meet you." Honey grabbed onto my arm from my right side.

That's pretty much how my life has been since January. As for Lucas and the weasel twins? No one has heard anything about them aside from being arrested. They haven't come back to school either. But there have been rumors that the twins might be moving soon. As for Lucas? If he does have a record with the police, I hope they're able to send him away for a few years.

* * *

Lunch was no longer and ordinary event for me. Nowadays, it was spent chatting it up with people who would've never given me a second look two months ago. Of course my friends were there at the table sitting close to me. But now our social circle grew to include a few others who probably just want to rub arms with me. I'm not too concerned. If anything, Bean, Bark, and Honey seem to enjoy the extra popularity boost they got from being friends with me. Just then some pretty girls, a mink and a bluejay, were at my sides pushing Honey and Bark away.

"Hey, I'm having a party at my place this Saturday," said the Mink. "It's actually being thrown by my cousins from college but my 'rents won't be there. You interested?"

Whoa... She smells...amazing. And her hair...and those eyes... Before words could even leave my jaw-dropped mouth, Bean swooped in and pulled the girls away with his "Beanittude" as he called it. ...Yeah, I know it sounds stupid.

"Ladies, ladies. The man already has a full social schedule for this week," he said.

"And just _who_ are you?" the bluejay crossed her arms.

"Let's just say I'm-a-bff-so-close-I-might-as-well-be-his-manager. IN ANY CASE...if it's a party you ladies are having then why not invite a _real_ hero. Me, soon-to-be ace of the school's baseball team. Perhaps one of you have seen me out on the mound pitching some heat, maybe a yakker or two."

I was about as clueless as the two girls were until the bluejay reacted a few seconds later.

"Oh! I think I remember seeing you practicing with the team sometimes." The bird grabbed onto Bean's arm. "He's a really cool guy so we definitely need to invite him."

Bean glanced back at me with a quick wink as he was led away by the girls. Thanks...I think? I suddenly felt Honey wrap herself around my arm and looked to see her usual "sour face."

"Good riddance to them," she said sticking her nose up. "They're a bunch of 'dirty girls' and they're probably going to have alcohol at the party if there's no adults."

"Um, alcohol? W-what about Bean?" I said.

"He can take care of himself. So about after school, we're having practice again. You'll be there right Silver?"

"Yeah, of course but I still think we-"

"Great! I'm gonna go talk with the girls. See you later!"

Honey grabbed her lunch bag, which she hadn't even opened, kissed me on the cheek, and took off for elsewhere in the slightly noisy lunchroom. Yeah, I'm not sure how to say this but Honey and I have been a couple for a while...I think. Bark, I need your voice of reasoning here.

"Hey, you don't think it's okay to let Bean go to that party this weekend do you?" I said after turning to him.

"I worry just as much as you do," Bark said. "But like Honey said, he can take care of himself. Remember that Bean is a master of the tongue so I'm sure he'll find some believable excuse to not go to the party." The polar bear then leaned over to me for a whisper. "If you haven't noticed it now, Bean only distracted those girls for you and Honey's sake. Be grateful you have a slick friend albeit questionable at times."

I chuckled nervously. What else could I say or do? Bark was right...about all of that. Bean's a great friend and I should probably be more conscious of my relationship with Honey. But that mink...she was just...wow.

* * *

Just as I promised, I went to the gymnasium to watch Honey and the cheerleaders practice. It was kinda fun watching them and even participating in some of the "crowd cheers" they did. Bean and Bark were with me too but they didn't seem too interested. Maybe I should start going to school games more often. I mean, I hear others talk about how great our teams are and it sounds like they have a blast during halftime. Hey, I wonder if guys can be cheerleaders too? I have a lot of energy...well at least that's what Blaze used to tell me. And these cheers are pretty easy to learn too. I finished up another "crowd cheer" with the girls before they decided to take a break. Just then, Bean tapped me on the shoulder.

"Dude, I think you're a little too into this cheer stuff," he said.

"Huh? Why?" I said. "I think it's fun. Cheering on your team, lifting everyone's spirits. Hey, you think they'd let me on the team? I could be the first cheerleader guy on our squad!"

"...Yeah. You're WAY too into this."

"I think what Bean is trying to say is that you're doing enough from the sidelines," Bark said.

Honey overhead our talk and went along with Bark as well. In fact...I think she seemed a little turned off by the idea of me joining. I guess the sidelines are ok. After a few minutes of rest, one of the girls got a call on her cell phone and had to leave. The others had other things they wanted to do so practice ended early. The girls headed off to the lockers to change while Bean, Bark, and I decided to wait on the bleachers for Honey.

"Dude, we should probably talk," said Bean.

"About what?" I said.

For a moment, Bean and Bark looked at each other and nodded. Was this something they had planned ahead of time?

"It's about...your demeanor," Bean hesitated a bit. "It's a little off putting for a girl."

"What do you mean? I'm nice to girls," I said. "I listen to them and keep them company as a friend. There's nothing wrong with that."

"You're right but...that might be the problem."

"Uh...what?"

"I'm just going to save you a lot of confusion and say that the girls are starting to rub off on you," Bark said with an arm around my shoulders.

I was surprised to hear something so sudden from Bark. He's usually gentle and cautious with his words so to come out and say something so straight is just...off. Looks like Bean was surprised too.

"Dude, THANK YOU!" Or maybe not. "Seriously Silver. You may be young, but at this point in your life you've spent more time with girls than with dudes. That, my good sir, is a problem."

I shot up off the bleachers and stepped down to the hardwood floor before turning back to the guys.

"That's insane! You guys are cool about hanging out with Honey. What you're saying is just...wrong!" That was the best I could come up with since this was getting me flustered.

"If you're trying to call us hypocrites, then you're wrong about that." Bean stood and came down off the bleachers. "Yes, we hang out with Honey. But we have **more** male friends than female. You just seem to _gravitate_ towards girls. And not even in a player-type of way."

...Um...player? Is he doing another baseball metaphor?

"Silver, we're your best friends and we'll always watch out for you. But if you insist on 'being one of the girls' and worshiping Blaze constantly then you're gonna turn into one of them."

I don't worship Blaze. She's just the closest friend I've had for years and she taught me a lot. I appreciate her and have a lot of respect for her. Not really sure how that translates into worshiping. All of that aside, I had to clarify one thing.

"What you mean 'turn into one of them?' I don't act like a girl at all." This conversation is starting to bother me a little.

"That's only because you're not able to see things from an objective point of view easily," Bark said from the bleachers.

"Thank you dude!" Bean had pointed a rigid finger at Bark which then turned on me, pushing my nose a little. "With the way your mind works, identifying and objectifying what you do is a little beyond your capacity."

"Objectifying is a completely different word Bean."

"Whatever Bark! The man understands!"

Actually I don't but I've learned not to interrupt Bean when he's on a soap box.

"In any case," Bean forced me to face him nose to...beak. "It now falls upon Bark and myself to scare the girly out of you and man you up!" He began to walk away and went of into another monologue. "The challenges may be tough and you may even shed a tear or two but trust me dude..." He turned back with an almost pained look on his face and whispered, "You will thank me. You'll walk into high school with the hottest girl on your arm, chin held high, and a popularity level that's slightly lower than mine. Trust me Silver...you-will-thank-me."

...At times I honestly have genuine concern for Bean's mental health. Slow, and probably sarcastic, clapping from Bark ended the silence that followed as he stepped off the bleachers. Bean bowed, his performance completed.

"If anything, handling situations with a masculine attitude can boost your confidence greatly," Bark said while Bean continued to wave to an invisible crowd.

Boost my confidence? Blaze always went on about me needing to stand on my own more often. I thought I was doing pretty good ever since she moved away. I guess I was wrong if the guys are _this_ concerned for me. I asked Bark if what he said was really true.

"Definitely," he answered. "That and girls seem to want a guy who is at least capable of protecting her. Honey may have been drawn towards you because of your effeminate traits, but she might be expecting to see more of the stronger side of you now that you two are a couple. More of the _real_ you."

"But this is the real me," I said. "What happened with Lucas was just my built up anger against him. A fluke!"

"Then I guess you should 'man up' like Bean said. If you want some reassurance, my sister went through the same thing with her current boyfriend. He was kind and compassionate at first and when they started dating he revealed a more tougher commanding side. Of course, you still have to be gentle around your girl...just don't get too involved to the point you become like her friends. Stay cool and masculine. Maintain the balance."

The irritation I felt from earlier was gone now thanks to Bark's more logical words. Maintain a balance? It sounds like the guys want to experiment with me and break me up into two people. I like who I am. I like being me, Silver! But I also want to keep Honey happy as my girlfriend so if being more masculine is what she wants... Wait a second! What am I talking about! I don't even know if Honey wants that and I think it's wrong to make assumptions without talking to her. ...At least that's what Blaze would want. She doesn't like people making decisions for her. Just then, Honey and the other cheerleaders came out of the locker room just beyond the bleachers. Seeing her talk and laugh with the others girls, flicking her hair away, and the clothes she wears... She's nothing like Blaze at all. The exact opposite. Honey and Suzette, her squirrel friend, parted from the others and approached us. They were planning on going to the cafe and wanted us to come.

"Sorry Honey," Bean said putting an arm around my neck. "But us guys have some manly things to do. We'll take a rain check on your offer so...some other time?"

Honey laughed rolling her eyes at Bean's way-too-cool demeanor.

"Whatever. See you guys around. Later Silver." Honey winked at me as she and Suzette turned to leave out of the exit doors on the other side of the gym.

The guys dragged me towards the gym entrance intending to leave through the school's front doors. In the end, I'm doing this for Honey. I'm making this sacrifice for her. It's what dad does for mom so I should do it too for the girl I care about.

But it would be so much easier if Honey was more like Blaze. At least I know what _she_ wants.


	15. Suspicious Things

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_**  
Suspicious Things**

_May_  
The shock of Sonic's sudden departure had long since worn off. Everyone at school and around this side of town just learned to move on. It took a few weeks for me and my friends to really feel the effect of not having Sonic around. An eerie quiet surfaced from not having him in our faces going about like a dragonfly. Tikal and I got used to it but as for Knuckles…let's just say it was obvious that he was trying to hide his concern.

Lunch period today was nothing was out of the ordinary. Tikal and I were chatting away about school business, as usual, and it really didn't occur to us that Knuckles was zoning out across the table until we talked to him.

"I was surprised that my science teacher would drop one last project on us towards the end of the year," said Tikal. "I understand if it's for academic reasons but…I'm kinda miffed since all my other classes are starting wind down."

"Yeah. Natural born villain I suppose."

Tikal giggled while gently hitting my arm and getting a modest smirk from me. I won't deny the fact that I've become more frank in my speech lately and the two echidnas have noticed. I also won't deny the fact that it's most likely the result of my short bonding experience from Shadow. So he's rubbing off on me, big deal.

"Knuckles, you had her last year right? Is this end-of-the-year project something normal for her?" Tikal said to her cousin.

For a few seconds he just sat there chewing away like a cow while looking down on his food with dull eyes. The lunch room wasn't very noisy and he usually snaps to attention the second Tikal says something. It took a snap of my fingers to get Knuckles out of his chewing trance. He stuttered covering his mouth to keep any food from falling out.

"Um…did you say something?" He finally asked after swallowing and wiping his mouth with his hand.

As far as his increasing distraction was concerned, Tikal and I ignored his poor attempts to cover it up. Since he was the oldest of us, we assumed he'd get use to living without the blue hedgehog. Maybe even become a happier person with one less stressful thing in his life. However, after two months…it was clear that Sonic contributed a lot to Knuckles's social interaction. Without him, Knuckles was lost on a boat in the middle of the ocean. Tikal and I reached a nonverbal understanding of the situation and moved from our side of the table to where Knuckles was; me sitting on one side, Tikal on the other. The red echidna quickly looked back and forth between us afraid that we were going to do something dreadful.

"To be honest Knuckles," I said. "we've been pretty lenient ignoring the fact that you miss Sonic. We figured it was just a phase and that you'd get over it and move on."

"But seeing you zone out like that more often…it's starting to worry us." Tikal placed her hand on his.

He didn't even try to fight it. Knuckles lowered his head and sighed.

"When I found out that Sonic had left town, I thought things would be a lot better now." Knuckles began to pack away his leftovers back into his brown paper bag. "We used to get into a lot of arguments and he just made me so angry. There were so many times when I wanted to punch him!"

Knuckles clutched the bag nearly crushing its contents. Another gentle touch from his cousin calmed him.

"But…I could never do it. I had the anger and the reason to do it, but I could never bring myself to raise a fist against him. I…I should feel relieved with him gone. That I don't have to worry about making that decision. But no. I just feel even more frustrated that I never got a chance to hit him."

I had a couple of reasonable words to say in response. By "reasonable" I meant hard-hitting truthful words. However, Tikal jumped the gun on me and was the first to speak.

"I think your reaction shows just how close you and Sonic were." That trademark smile she put on never failed to lighten the mood. "You may think that you have a great dislike of Sonic because most of your memories with him were unpleasant but it's often said that we care more about the ones we bicker with the most."

"The fact that he was here for only a year and managed to leave that kind of impression on you meant that you guys were best friends,"I said. "Just think of it this way: you regretting not hitting Sonic is like regretting not giving him a going away present."

I was pretty sure that was all Knuckles needed to pull him out of that slump. Our words, coupled with that sunshine smile of Tikal's, were a guaranteed one-two knockout for his moodiness. But a knockout it wasn't. Knuckles sighed and Tikal and I watch him stand and grab his paper bag lunch.

"I get what you two are saying and I appreciate it. But this is more than me missing Sonic." I jumped a little when he smashed his paper bag filled with leftovers in his hands, compressing it as much as he could. "I really want to hurt him. To make him feel the same pain that I felt whenever he teased me and my heritage. It's bad enough I had to put up with so much crap from mother for so many years. Sonic's 'playful' attitude didn't make things any better."

We had no choice but to let him go and watched Knuckles leave the lunch room, throwing the balled up lunch bag in the trashcan. Tikal sighed shaking her head and continued with her lunch. It seemed like she was expecting that kind of response from him. I won't even bother asking her what's up. She's going to tell me regardless.

"Retribution." she said.

"Come again?" I was just about to take another bite of my half-eaten tuna fish sandwich.

"Retribution. He wouldn't be a pureblood Knuckles without it." She chuckled lightly…pathetically.

"Retribution…that means revenge right?" It sucks not being a word guru like Tikal but at the same time I do learn a lot of neat things from her.

"Yeah, they mean the same. Being of the Knuckles Clan, it goes hand-in-hand with their fighting nature and stubbornness and pride… You have to understand that in the world of echidnas, personality traits run so deep within purebloods that they're practically ingrained into one's DNA. It's really quite interesting to see when purebloods get together. You can easily pick out clans just by watching people interact."

It's nice that she's finding all of this "personality DNA" talk to be amusing, but she _did_ just make the claim that her cousin is a natural born vengeance-seeker. Seeing as how the most gratingly friendly person in the world has left an impression on the guy, I'd be more concern with Knuckles going rouge and seeking out Sonic's blood. Tikal placed her plastic sandwich container back into her lunch pack and pulled out a small cup of vanilla pudding. Don't tell me that this near genius girl is too naïve to see this.

"I know, I know," Tikal said as she opened the pudding cup. "You're worried that Knuckles might leave town and hunt down Sonic."

Wow, she's good.

"Don't worry. There's no way Knuckles is going to run away from his stepmother."

Using those specific words, I immediately understood why she was so calm about this. If _I_ had to choose, I'd rather be chased down by the police instead of that woman.

"I see your point," I said giving up on my lunch. "It's sad really. The one thing that keeps him from acting on his gut instincts is the one thing that's destroying him emotionally. He might as well be caught between a wall of daggers."

"Yeah. As he gets older, it'll be harder to resist his instincts the more she holds him down. I imagine that she'll let up on Knuckles as he gets closer to the age of adulthood. But I can't help think that the second she lets up on her tight leash, he'll just break free and run for freedom. Run from everything."

Free as a bird. Good for him I say. I was going to relay my thoughts to Tikal but the second I looked upon her was the second I realized what was really going on inside of her heart. That pathetic chuckling, the carefree response to Knuckles's moody leave…the look that was on her face right now as she gazed at the lunch room door spoke contrary to all of that. Fear…or concern. _Run for freedom. Run from everything._ I realized that those final words were her true feelings about Knuckles's situation. Which meant that they should bring some half-hearted smile to her face knowing that her cousin would chose freedom over that woman. But they didn't. Obviously, there was something I was missing. Another echidna culture point that Tikal has yet to tell me about. I wonder if it has to do with that "age of adulthood" she mentioned. Something tells me that even if I asked nicely, she won't tell me.

* * *

Let's see here…literature, science, social studies, and math. That should be all the books I need for homework. Alright, time to get out of here. I closed my locker and the second I turned to leave, Jet ran into me. We fell and ,thankfully, my backpack was zipped up tight so no books spilled out.

"Geez! What is up with you losers always bumping into me?" The green hawk rubbed the tip of his beak as he stood.

"I think it's just you who keeps running into people," I said while picking up my backpack. "Try slowing down and actually using your eyes for once."

Just as I started to walk away, Jet gabbed hold of my arm and pulled me back.

"Don't forget. As soon as you hear from Sonic, tell me. You got that?"

I wished that constantly pointing finger of his actually touched my nose. Then I'd have a good reason to kick his butt. I yanked my arm away from him and wiped off his "Jet Presence" as I like to call it.

"I'm not in-debt to you nor am I some servant for you to boss around. Just because you can't shadow Shadow anymore doesn't mean someone else has to shadow you like a shadow to fill your Shadow needs." For effect, I playfully flicked his still-sore beak. "Hope that didn't confuse you."

I heard him growl as I walked off haughtily with my tail high swishing side to side.

"Just tell me when Sonic's coming back you fleabag feline!"

There was no need to respond to that. Seriously. While Knuckles hasn't taken Sonic's leave easily, I think Jet wins the award for throwing the biggest temper tantrum without actually crying about it. Almost every other day that kid has been bugging either me, Tikal, or Knuckles about Sonic. We kept telling the bird brain that we honestly don't know but "no" (or "know" for that matter) isn't part of his vocabulary. He won't leave us alone. He'll bug us right up to that line but not actually cross it thus not giving us a valid reason for using violence against him. Maybe Jet's another case of a hidden friendship he and Sonic had since they _obviously_ irritated each other on a daily basis.

Just as I neared the school entrance, I heard Tikal call out to me. I looked back down the hallway to see her and Knuckles heading for me. The two joined up and we walked out the front door along with the masses.

"Hey, did Jet bother you about Sonic again?" said Tikal.

"Only five seconds ago." I rolled my eyes trying to forget the brief encounter. "What if we got him a cardboard cutout of Sonic? You think Jet would finally stop bothering us and go back to being…"

I noticed that Tikal and Knuckles had stopped walking so I turned and went back to them. The peach colored echidna looked anxiously around the schoolyard while her standout-red cousin shrugged his shoulders at me.

"Something wrong Tikal?" I said to her.

"We should get going," Knuckles said with some concern. "What's the hold up?"

"That's the thing Knuckles." Tikal propped herself up on her tippy toes since she was shorter than the general school population. "I won't be able to walk you home today. I have some stuff to do."

Judging by the surprised and slightly pained look on Knuckles face, I'd say this was a last minute thing from her. A bit out of character unless she was approached by a teacher or someone as soon as the bell rang. Setting aside what happened the last time I walked Knuckles home, I was going to volunteer to step in for Tikal. However, she started to jump up and down waving towards the entrance. Knuckles and I looked together and I could've sworn I heard him gulp in the midst of the somewhat noisy schoolyard. Walking out the front door, while parting from her friends, was Tiara "Miss Popularity" Boobowski. How does she manage to make the school uniform look so fashionable when she wears it normally like everyone else? It's gotta be the hair. The echidna and manx greeted each other with bright smiles and girly giggles. I glanced over at Knuckles and, no surprise, he had turned away bashfully trying too hard to look occupied with being relaxed and laid back.

"Thanks again for your help Tiara," I heard Tikal said for the third time.

"Really, it's no problem. We're friends after all." The manx brushed her bangs from her eyes.

It was then when Tikal turned to her cousin and gently grabbed his hand.

"She's going to walk home with you today okay? I know you've been a bit nervous since… Look, everything will be fine. It's just for today."

Tiara and an awkward Knuckles left. Tikal and I saw them off with light waving and then leaned in to spoil the genius's plot.

"That wasn't planned at all." I smirked a little.

She looked at me full of surprise and finally gave in with a shameful smile.

"Since you're going to pry, I might as well say that it was Tiara who came to me first," said the young girl.

"Oh? She still has feelings for Knuckles?"

I looked back down the sidewalk filled with other kids in our school uniform. The two were still within sight and looked to be getting along...I think.

"Looks like it. I think this might've been spurred on by the fact that she'll be going to the high school wing next year. Despite what happened last year between him and her ex-boyfriend, I could see that she still wanted to be friends with Knuckles. But being so popular and everything…"

"Fame kills the romance." At least that's the message I get from the tabloids.

"I suppose," Tikal said shrugging away my comment. "What I find surprising though is that Tiara may have a genuine attraction to him. Even though she's a year older and grade higher, Tiara seems to like Knuckles's mature behavior and some other things as well."

"Well it does make him seem a lot older than he really is." And going along that train of thought, by the time he hits high school he'll seem like an adult.

"True…but it's only because his stepmother forces that behavior on him."

The mere mention of the wicked stepmother killed the mood slightly. Just then, Tikal and I caught sight of Vector walking out of the school being followed by a group of equally bulky and muscular guys. His teammates maybe?

"Give it up already Vector! She's dumped you so just accept it." a lion said as he struggled to keep up with the fast moving crocodile.

"I don't care! I need to see her now! It's not like Rouge to just ignore me for so long." Vector gave one final brush off of the five boys and they finally gave up heading off for the football field.

I looked at Tikal who looked at me in the same moment. At this point in our friendship, there was no need for a declaration of investigation. We've pretty much made a habit out of poking our noses into the troubles of our friends. The two of us took off after Vector to see what kind of trouble was going on in the romantic paradise of the only high school couple we knew. It was a bit of a struggle for us to catch up to the heated strides of the hustling reptile. Amazing considering how short his legs were. I pulled out ahead of Tikal who, like the cliched brainy-type she is, started to fall behind from a little fatigue. I was able to grasp onto Vector's right sleeve and hung on until he halted wondering about the extra weight.

"Blaze? Tikal?" he said as the huffing echidna caught up to us. "Now's not exactly a great time for a chat."

"Then we'll walk and talk." I checked on Tikal to see if she could keep up and the three of us continued on. "Something going on between you and Rouge?"

Vector sighed and the thought of what was ailing him gave him a pained expression.

"To be honest, I don't even know if there's still a relationship between us."

Without input from Tikal or I, Vector jumped into the back story of events that lead up to his desperate rush today. It all started two months ago…oddly enough, around the same time Sonic suddenly left town. Rouge was becoming distant from Vector, going to places in secrecy and not keeping in touch with him as often as she used to. When they were together, it was like they had gone back to being "just friends" and she seemed really uninterested in anything Vector did or said. The story arrived at its climax (or rising action if I remember my literature studies correctly) when Rouge stopped hanging around Vector completely and her school attendance became spotty.

"I don't understand. I've thought about it over and over and I really can't think of anything I've done that might've ticked her off," Vector said with a hand on his head.

"And she's not returning any of your phone calls?" Tikal said from my right.

"She might've blocked my cell number. I can't even get through to her!" He had taken his cell phone out of his pocket and held it at my eye level. "That's why I'm heading to her place downtown to get some straight answers."

Tikal immediately stopped forcing Vector and I to do the same and look back at her. She seemed a bit nervous at the mention of going downtown.

"Oh. So that's where you're heading off to?" The echidna smiled faintly. "In that case, I should get going home. I do have that science project to start on anyway."

"Alright. See you tomorrow," I said.

"You're going with him Blaze?" she said.

"Yeah. The homework I have isn't anything serious and I'm sure we won't be gone for long. It's just downtown." I have no complaints with not having intellectually challenging schoolwork.

Tikal left returning the way we came and Vector and I continued down the road to…

"Hey, how are we getting downtown anyway?" Probably should've taken that into consideration before making my split second decision.

"I have a friend who owns an auto shop just down the street from here. He told me that he has a scheduled pickup downtown today so he'll give me a lift to Rouge's place," Vector said.

I assumed the friendly ride down also included a friendly ride back. Alright, I was still on board for the little road trip. Though, to be honest, my real reason for going along with Vector is a bit of a memory maze. You see, ever since Shadow showed me his…Chaos Control trick a few months back I never really stopped thinking about him or the fact that he questioned me on whether or not Silver has special powers. I said "no" but seeing as how Shadow was vague on if he _did_ know Silver at one point has got me thinking that Silver might have powers as well. I'm just concerned of what kind of mayhem would go down if, like mine, they suddenly came to be one day and Silver started panicking. Honestly, just thinking of that happening is stressing me out. Going back on track, how that relates to going to Rouge's place goes right back to Shadow and the unusual relationship between those two. Unusual in the sense that they seemed to have known each other for more than just the year they spent here in Emerald Town. Remembering how familiar Sonic was with Rouge on Halloween night last year, I thought that maybe she could shed some light on Sonic's sudden departure.

Ok. Got that out of the way. I don't like information dumps but my life is starting to become something where that sort of expository release is necessary…for my own sake. While annoying in that "reiterating what's already known" manner, it did kill some travel time narrative now that Vector and I were at the auto shop of his previously mentioned friend. Off we go to downtown.

* * *

The tow truck of Vector's friend (a leopard in his mid-twenties who reeked of car oil) was…sturdy to say the least. Definitely vintage but nonetheless "working well since his father's hayday in the car towing business" according to the leopard. I opted for the window seat which allowed the guys to chat about guy stuff while I mused over various things, the passing scenery providing some visual stimulation. Should I consider Shadow a friend? Does Silver have powers like Shadow and me…and maybe Sonic if you want to call his super speed a special power? "Where did Sonic go and why so suddenly?" was another obvious question. But even more apparent than that was what would all of this culminate to? Just as this ride is the rising action of Vector's relationship story, all of these little events that I've gotten caught up in since moving to this side of town are rising up to some big revelation or event. I just wish I had a clue as to what that will be.

* * *

It was a twenty minute ride. A ride where I spent most of my time reminiscing of significant moments I shared with Silver. The most prominent being when he and I first met. It was nothing special. We were in kindergarten together and I dropped my sandwich on the classroom floor during lunch (kindergarteners ate lunch in the classroom). Feeling sorry for me, Silver offered his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I didn't like PB&J (and I still don't), but I took it since it was a kind gesture. That was just the first time we spoke to each other. What solidified our friendship was our first class field trip to the museum downtown. Everyone was supposed to bring bagged lunches so we didn't have to worry about losing a lunch box. But Silver accidentally brought a lunch box and cried about it when he pulled it out in class and other kids started laughing. There weren't any spare paper bags in the room so I just stuffed his lunch in my bag. Since then, he's always followed me...and I didn't mind the extra company since I was a little shy.

Now, with so much happening in my life, I have more appreciation for times like this where I can stroll through my memories and recall moments that defined and refined my personality. At first it seemed like we were heading into the heart of the downtown area where it was the busiest. But the tow truck turned off on a side street and the buildings in the area looked a little more aged. None were abandoned but all were in need of some refurbishing on their exteriors. The truck pulled over on the side of the road just outside the entrance to a small parking lot of three small apartment buildings. This was were Vector and I got out. The leopard reassured me that nothing would happen to my backpack which I left in the front seat. While the guys chatted over a pick up time and exchanged cell phone numbers, I took a few seconds to size up the aged, brick, three-story buildings at the far end of the small parking lot. The lot itself was in worse shape with a few potholes here and there. Even the sign at the entrance which should've read "Parking for Residents Only" was barely legible. Off to the left of the parking lot, in a small fenced area, was a pathetic playground with a slide, a few swings, and a small tree.

Vector's friend drove off and the croc and I stood before the lot entrance. Considering he had Rouge's address on a sheet a paper, I can only assume this was his first visit meaning he was either nervous or shocked that this was the place. When I heard a sigh come from him, I looked up to see a troubled expression on his face. Maybe we got it wrong. Maybe Vector misread his handwriting. I voiced my suggestion.

"No, this is definitely the right place," he said stuffing the paper in his pocket. "One of the girls in her biology class swore up and down that this was it."

Vector proceeded into the parking lot and I walked alongside him as he continued to talk.

"The place is shabby but that's not what bothers me," he said.

"Ok. So what is bothering you?" I looked around and figured that living here seemed worrisome enough for someone going to a nice private school.

"It's the location. The public high school is only a few blocks away and yet Rouge is going to school _across_ town." Vector had pointed back behind us indicating the general direction of the public high school. "I know St. Ives is a private school but it's not an elite or high ranking school. Just slightly above the average. If her parents can dish out the money for St. Ives, surely they can afford a slightly nicer place than this."

Maybe they were really desperate and wanted to get Rouge into St. Ives? Who knows. In any case, we'll find out soon enough once we're at her apartment. We veered right towards what I assumed was building two hundred. The last zero was missing leaving only a faded imprint behind. Three kids, a few years younger than me, were playing on the steps leading to the entrance. Two squirrel boys, twins, and a female raccoon with a doll in arm. The boys, sword fighting with sticks, stopped when Vector and I approached. Suddenly it felt like we had gone into a foreign country where little kids would gather around the "strange foreigners" that came into a small village. All three of them just stopped what they were doing and approached us eagerly.

"Hey, hey! You're wearing the same clothes that Rouge wears!" the squirrel in the red shirt said pointing to me.

"You're from the nice neighborhood aren't ya!" his brother in the blue shirt asked.

"Uh yeah." Vector laughed nervously. "Is Rouge home?"

"Yeah, up on the third floor," said red.

"I don't think she has parents though," said blue.

"Nope, 'cause we've never seen them."

"She's lucky to live alone."

Alone? By pure coincidence, Vector and I looked at each other simultaneously. Vector rushed in without another word and I was about to go in but was stopped by the kids.

"Hey, do you know Sonic?" red asked me.

"Yeah. What about him?" I said.

"Tell him to come back home," said blue.

"Yeah, we weally miss him," said the little girl.

"…Home? He lives here?"

"Yep! And the weird thing is that only he and Rouge have ever lived on the top floor. No one else has moved in for over a year," said red with his brother nodding in agreement.

Also odd…but then again, these apartments aren't exactly the best in this dilapidated neighborhood. Though I'm sure Sonic _is_ living with his parents or whoever. After learning that Sonic was across the hall from Rouge ("diagonally, not straight across" according to red), I went in and headed up to the top floor while the kids ran off to play. The hallway was empty and the first door on my right was cracked open. I could hear the voices of Vector and Rouge coming from inside…arguing it seems. Better give them their space. I walked over to apartment 211, diagonal of Rouge's 210 and knocked. …Nothing. I pressed my ear against the door and couldn't even hear a TV or people talking. Was anyone actually home? Did Sonic move away with his family?

"No one is there anymore, Blaze." I spun around to see Rouge standing at her door.

She was dressed in plain clothes; gray pants and a t-shirt. She invited me into her place and I followed. Once inside she elaborated a little more.

"No one has been there since…February I think? They just up and moved out one day without a word as to where they were going. Sorry if that's why you came here with Vector." Her sympathetic smiled softened the blow but not by much.

"I see. Well the others aren't going to be too happy but at least I tried." I even threw in a weak smile.

There was a moment where we allowed the jarring reality of Sonic's departure to sink in before Vector spoke.

"Right, going back to before…what's this about you transferring? How come you never told anyone?"

"It was a private matter. No need to get half the school involved. This isn't a TV show you know," Rouge said.

"Yeah but…there's only a few weeks left of school. You couldn't finish out the school year first?" The helplessness grew in the crocodile's voice.

"Well, dear ol' big brother wanted me back in Mobotropolis. When big brother asks, I don't refuse or question him."

"Then tell that brother of yours to shove it! He's the idiot for letting you live out here alone!"

The bat spurted out a laugh as if what Vector had said was childish or naïve. The atmosphere lost its tension when Rouge guided the older teen onto her couch and she cuddled up next to him. While they began to chat about lighter issues, I checked out the apartment a little. It was pretty bare to say the least. A couch in the living area with a single coffee table and floor lamp…but no TV? Not even a laptop. The kitchen looked like it was barely used but the strangest thing of all was the door at the end of the short hallway. It looked like there was a padlock on it. I kinda get that teenagers want privacy but she's living by herself. I doubt people around here worry about robbers either despite the non-friendly appearance of the neighborhood. So why the extra security for, what I assumed to be, her bedroom?

"Looking for the bathroom Blaze?" Rouge said. "First door on your left."

I wasn't looking for that room necessarily but the lovebirds probably wanted a little privacy so I went in anyway. With the door closed and the light turned on, I gathered my thoughts before my reflection in the mirror. The mystery of Sonic's departure will remain a mystery. Rouge is transferring to Mobotropolis. Speaking of lovebirds… I suddenly remembered Tiara walking off with Knuckles earlier today after school. I wonder if that will turn into something.

My introspective moment was interrupted when I heard a loud bang from the living area along with yells from the teens. Sounded like the front door was kicked in.

"Espio! Shadow!" I heard Vector yell and I immediately left the bathroom.

…Shadow's red eyes zeroed in on me the second I stepped out. For some reason a chill went down my spine. Even though Shadow left town on friendly terms with me a few months ago…something seemed off about him now. His eyes looked tired and angered. His fists were constantly clenched. I think…I think he's even lost a little weight. What happened to him?

"Shadow…" He snapped his head in Rouge's direction at the sound of her voice. "What are you doing here?"

I'm sure that question was suppose to be one of surprise. But judging by her tone and body language, I think there's more going on between those two. Shadow didn't answer and grew more tense like he was ready to do something. Then everything happened at once. Shadow darted for me, Rouge dove for the kitchen area out of my sight, and Espio whipped out a few throwing stars and attacked Vector and, possibly, Rouge. It was all I could see before Shadow covered my mouth and shoved me back into the bathroom and closed the door. My body banged up against the small wooden cabinet, a sensitive part of my arm being poked by the brass handle. The yelling continued in the living area until a bright light shone underneath the crack of the bathroom door and a violent wind rattled it. …An odd feeling of déjà vu overcame me.

Complete silence followed a shattering crack of thunder. After standing up, withstanding the pain in my arm, I opened the door with some caution and wandered out to the living area. The only real "damage" left behind was the fallen floor lamp and some throwing stars embedded into the wall by the window. Sitting in the corner, his back against the wall, was Vector with an expression I could only describe as "shocked and stunned."

"Vector? Are you ok?" I said walking carefully into his view.

He gave no response at first until I waved my hand in front of his face. The crocodile came to life at once and stumbled over words as he stood with heavy breathing.

"He…that…she…" Vector frantically paced around the living area as if looking for something. "We have to go."

"What? What happened? Where are the others?" I tried to hold onto his arm to restrain him but being a high school jock and all…

"No! We have to go now Blaze! Some seriously weird stuff just happened!"

And that was that. The panicked crocodile grabbed my hand and we hurried out of the apartment building as Vector scrambled to call his tow truck friend on his cell.

* * *

We were able to rendezvous with the leopard a few blocks away and were on our way back to the suburbs. While riding back, Vector couldn't stop staring at his cell phone that was in hand. According to the clock on the outside of the phone, we were only gone for an hour. Felt a lot longer than that for some reason. When his buddy questioned about our trip, Vector kept to short, condense answers. I can't blame him. If my déjà vu feelings were right, then his girlfriend was just "Chaos Controlled" away with Shadow to who-knows-where. I'm pretty sure that's what he called it. But…not only do I have questions about Sonic and Shadow, I'm also starting to wonder about Rouge and her connection to those hedgehogs. The way she spoke to Shadow back at the apartment. There was a strong sense of "familiarity" between them.


	16. Silver: Awakening

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy_**  
Silver: Awakening**

_May_  
I want to say I've been making progress on "manning up" but I'm not quite sure how I'm suppose to feel when I more "manly." Ok, so part of me didn't really buy into at first. I mean, I was just thrown into it because Bean didn't want me turning into a girl and Bark thought it would give me a bigger confidence boost. I guess the confidence I had up until that point still wasn't enough. While most of Bean's "manly advice" was...a little silly, Bark's advice seemed more practical. He suggested that I play sports with other guys during gym instead of hanging around Honey and her friends. Bark even took me to his house where he and his older brother had me do some boxing practice...for exercise of course. But there was one thing that Bark told me that struck me a little hard.

"If you want your relationship with Honey to work, you have to set aside some time apart from her," Bark said one day.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Well according to my dad, he and mom get along with each other because they don't do everything together. The time they spend doing what they want gives their relationship a little rest. It's not always sunshine and smiles when you're with the person you love."

That does make some sense. Honey and I have had a few disagreements...well they weren't really disagreements. She usually said or did something that I thought was a little weird but she thought was totally fine. Blaze and I also had our ups and downs too…but why am I bringing her into this?

"So does that mean that Honey should find a new group of friends to hang out with? She is a part of our group," I said.

"I suppose it'll happen sooner or later." Bark crossed his arms looking unsure. "The way she's acting lately and the friends she's gained from the cheerleading squad suggest that she'll be one of those girls."

"What girls?"

"You know, chatty, pretty, and popular. So I imagine a lot of guys might hit on her in high school. Another good reason for you to 'man up' a little."

I don't consider myself the jealous type, but if it's protection that Bark is suggesting then that I can do.

That conversation was about a month ago. Bark thinks I've been making good progress. Bean thinks...let's just say he's scolding me less. Honey might have noticed as well since she's been exceptionally clingy to me lately. All of that aside, I have a good feeling that things might go well from here.

* * *

The end of the school year is only a few weeks away. After I finished my dinner, I offered to put the dishes in the dishwasher. Mom was impressed and I'm sure dad was thinking that I wanted something.

"Just helping out around the house," I said in response to his look.

Another bit of useful advice from Bark. Afterwards, I headed down to the den for my usual Saturday night TV shows. The second the last show ended, mom nagged me to go to bed. I didn't mind since she's usually like that most of the time. About ten minutes later, mom was tucking me in and kissed me on the forehead.

"Goodnight sweetheart," she said before turning off the lights and closing my bedroom door.

I tried to fall asleep. Really. But I didn't feel tired or anything. I _would_ get up and do something but knowing my parents they'll probably be up for another hour or so. In short, the TV and computer in the den are off limits. I wonder if Blaze's parents let her keep a TV in her room. Still, lying here was starting to get irritating so I got out of bed and crept over to my bedroom door. Carefully I cracked it open, enough to see out of it. It was completely dark. Not just in the hallway but also down stairs in the rest of the house. Right across from my room, a sliver of light came from my parents' bedroom door that was cracked open. I hope they're going to bed soon instead of staying up. Since I knew the exact location of each creak in the floor, even though the house was entirely carpeted, I figured I could sneak down into the kitchen and grab a snack.

Luckily, the door hinges to my room didn't creak at all so I was able to slip out quietly. I got down on my hands and knees and started to crawl, carefully stepping over a creak two steps away from my door. Just as I passed by my parents' room, I heard mom's voice.

"I don't like sitting here, especially with Shadow out there doing who-knows-what."

Shadow? Who is she talking about?

"Neither do I but he's not a part of our mission," said dad. "Our only concern is the safety and development of Silver."

Mission? I cautiously crept back a little being careful not to bump into the metal sliding door of the linen closet between my room and my parents' room. Even though I was taught that eavesdropping was bad, I wanted to know what this "mission" was.

"Considering what he is, I'm surprised Silver can easily glue himself to the TV for hours," mom said. "Why couldn't he be a little more disciplined?"

"Disciplined? Like Shadow?" dad asked.

"No, no. Certainly not that much." Mom chuckled a little while I got comfortable pulling my knees up to my chest. "Do you think the professor intentionally made those boys that way?"

"Judging from the documents I've read about Gerald, no. Judging from the rumors I've heard, it's possible. At this point, it doesn't matter if their abilities were given to them on purpose. They are what they are and HQ will use them however they see fit. Sonic was called back a few months ago. As for Shadow, I'm sure HQ is changing their strategy of how to handle that monster considering the fiasco downtown two weeks ago."

"Then there was that incident back on Prison Island last month. A real shame. I still want to know what wise-guy at HQ thought it would be a good idea to assign a delicate mission to a young girl."

"Must be the _new direction_ we're heading in."

"Let me guess. More rumors?"

"The only way information gets around honestly in the organization."

My snack craving was gone at this point. If I felt anything, it was a disturbing amount of curiosity. I've never heard my parents talk this way before. Using such casual tones instead of that..."mom and dad" tone that I'm used to hearing. Talking about a "mission", an "organization", a "prison island." And just who is Shadow, Gerald, and Sonic? Why did mom talk about me as if I were an object? I couldn't help but get overly anxious. Right to the point where I started gripping my knees with my fingers. And then the door suddenly closed. I jolted but was quick enough to cover my mouth and muffle whatever peep would've come out. For a few seconds, I sat there in the hallway in total darkness. Not quite sure what to make of their "small talk." ...I decided to crawl back into my room, avoiding the creaky spot in the floor. The door to my room was closed gently behind me and I crawled back into bed, pulling the cover as tightly as I could over my shoulder.

* * *

Morning came too soon. For a few moments, the low sunlight that came through the shades didn't bother me. I was able to turn away from the east-facing window and pull the covers tighter over my shoulder. Just when I thought it was the start of another ordinary day...I remembered what happened last night. The strange conversation my parents had went through my mind and the peaceful sleep I was trying to have suddenly became not so peaceful. I guess irritated would be the right word. But I wasn't sure why. All of that talk about missions and some HQ did make me wonder about my parents, but it made me angry at the same time. I don't get it. I hardly ever got mad at my parents. Frustrated because of their rules but never this angry. Maybe I should just go and ask them about it. Sure, they'll know that I didn't go to bed on time but this is really going to bother me if I don't get some answers. That's just how I am.

From there, I threw back the covers, bolting upright, and froze in place from what I saw. All of the junk I usually had on my floor, books, shoes, paper, and video games borrowed from Bean, were floating in mid-air. I was...shocked...and interested. What was with the greenish-blue aura around my stuff? How long had they been like that? Hey! Maybe there's an alien in my room doing this! Just as I started to stand up on my bed, I noticed that I also had the same aura coming from me. It was all over my body from what I could tell. So I held up my hand in front of me and flexed my fingers a bit. No, I don't feel anything at all...well, there's this wavy feeling kinda going through my body. Like when the dentist used that funny gas to numb me up when I had to get a tooth pulled. But the air doesn't smell like bubble gum so it can't be funny gas leaking into the house.

I watched my fingers on my right hand, moving them for a few more seconds, before I looked past them and noticed some of the items moving in the air. One shoe, a pencil, and my math journal were moving up and down. Strange. I moved my index finger up and down and the shoe moved the same way. My middle finger moved and so did the pencil. My third finger moved...and, as I expected, so did the journal. I've been accused of not catching on fast enough sometimes but I definitely understood what was going on here. _I was moving those things_! I was causing everything to float. ...On second thought, maybe I don't understand what's going on exactly.

Two knocks came at the door and it opened immediately. I jumped a little from the sudden surprise and everything fell to the floor with a clutter, although some of the papers just floated down pathetically. Mom had poked her head in just in time to see me standing on my bed holding up my hand like a dork and watched the last few papers sway to the floor. I stared at her; she stared at me. I grinned like a dork and she rolled her eyes.

"Silver, clean up this mess and come down for breakfast," she said and then closed the door.

Good thing she didn't catch what I was doing...at least I think she didn't. Unlike most other people, mom doesn't really do that two-second pause after knocking on the door before opening. She just knocks and barges right in afterward. Well, even if she did catch a glimpse of something floating in mid-air, I'm sure she'll just write it off as her imagination.

* * *

Later on that morning, I headed out for a walk around the neighborhood hoping to run into Bean. He's one of the few kids I know that would be out on Sunday mornings while most others slept in or went to some religious service. What surprised me was that I didn't have to go too far to find Bean. He was in his front yard lying in the grass. I approached him and stood nearby looking down on him.

"So what's up?" I said.

"The 'rents are squabbling. My bro is annoying. Sis is throwing a sissy fit over the phone. Not exactly a...'cool' day." Bean adjusted his sunglasses.

I looked up at the sky reminding myself that is _was_ getting hot lately.

"Understandable," I said to Bean before sitting on the grass next to him. "Can you keep a secret?"

"You know me, man. A secret comes my way and the beak is sealed." He motioned with his hand the movement of zipping his lips shut.

"Right. So this morning I woke up and the weirdest thing is happened. A whole bunch of stuff in my room was floating in mid-air."

Right then, he sat up and lifted up his shades with a raised eyebrow.

"Dude, will you to stop getting your dreams mixed up with reality!"

"I'm serious Bean! It really did happen! My stuff was floating and there was this aura around everything. Including me! I was causing everything to float."

Bean groaned rubbing a hand down his face and put his sunglasses back on. I know it sounds childish but could he just believe me this one time? Even when he didn't say anything afterward, I could see the disappointed grimace he had.

"I'll show it to you then." I stood up desperate for Bean's attention. "I really can do this. I really _really_ can make things float."

For a few seconds my eyes darted around the yard looking for something to pick up. At last I held out my hand for Bean's sunglasses. He looked up at me through the dark lenses, probably wondering if I was finally going crazy, and handed over his shades with a heavy sigh. I folded them up and held them in my palm. Ok, I gotta figure out how I did that this morning. Do I have to have a certain expression on my face? Do I have to say some magic words? I was at a lost so I just did what I figured would work. I thought about the glasses floating and I thought about my supposed telekinetic powers. And that's about it. I stared at the glasses as hard as I could, and even waved my other hand over it like some magician, but nothing came of it. Bean was also getting upset really fast...at least until the greenish-blue aura appeared surrounding me and the glasses. Eventually, they lifted up off my hand a few inches and then I sneezed and they dropped to the grass next to Bean's hand. He picked it up, his jaw dropped, and looked at me.

"Dude..." Bean stood up with the glasses in hand. "That...was...awesome. And you said you did it this morning?"

"Yeah! I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with me since I feel fine but...I can't explain why I can do that," I said.

"I see... So what about your parents? Do they know?"

For a moment I stopped just before I was about to speak. I recalled last night's conversation between my mom and dad...and a peculiar thought came to mind.

"Yeah, about them...they don't know...but there's something off about them that I noticed last night," I said sitting back down in the grass.

"Something off?" Bean sat next to me. "You think they're not your real parents? If not, then that would explain..."

He held up his hand against his forehead, palm facing out, to mimic my odd hairstyle on my head. I chuckled a little. I never paid much attention to it but while my parents are regular white hedgehogs, they don't share my "special" hairstyle. In fact, none of our relatives in our photo albums do.

"Now that you brought it up...I kinda wouldn't be surprised." I hesitated before revealing what went on between my parents last night. "But what's bothering me more is what I heard my mom and dad talking about in their room last night. I was sneaking out of my room to get a snack and their door was open. At first I was just going to ignore them, but then I heard them talk about some mission and some other weird stuff."

"Mission?" Bean asked. "Like spy stuff?"

"I don't know. I listened and they went on about some organization, a prison island, and something that happened downtown two weeks ago. Hey, do you know who Shadow, Gerald, or Sonic are? They mentioned them too."

"Gerald I don't know. Shadow sounds familiar. But Sonic I _have_ heard of."

"Really? Who is he?"

"Word through the grapevine says that he's pretty popular down in the burbs. You should probably give Blaze a call. Good chance she's met the guy once or twice."

Sometimes I get annoyed by how talkative and popular Bean can be. But now I'm actually grateful he's that way. This also gives me a chance to get in touch with Blaze. I think the last time I talked with her was...last summer at the pool?

"Thanks Bean," I said standing up. "Oh, could you do me one last favor?"

"Anything my magical friend." Bean said.

"See if you can get any info about what happened downtown two weeks ago. Maybe Sonic's name will come up. I'll ask Blaze when I talk to her but she might not know about it."

I started to walk away to hurry home and call Blaze but then Bean stopped me a little ways down the sidewalk.

"Hey dude!" Bean was standing on the sidewalk when I looked back. "You want me to get Blaze's number or at least her address? I doubt she's still at her grandparents' place."

...Good point. I probably should've realized that she might've moved since last summer. It's great I have good friends like Bean to count on.

"No, it's alright. I'll just ask my parents. I'm sure they'll help me out since its just Blaze I want to talk to."

* * *

When I got home, I asked mom if she knew where Blaze moved to.

"What for?" she said.

"I just want to give her a call and see how she's been doing since she moved away," I said.

"Well isn't that thoughtful of you. I'll see what I can do."

At first, I thought it was just a small request. You know, a few calls here and there and she'll find out their new number. But a few hours passed and mom's only response was "I'll make some more calls tomorrow." Dad was no help either. He had gotten contact info from Blaze's parents at the Festival last summer but lost it. It was around lunchtime when mom called me up to the kitchen from the den. Lunch was ready on the dining room table but before I sat down, mom held out a pill towards me.

"Take it. It's a multivitamin," she said.

"But why?" I took the pill from her but was a little unsure.

"I realized that I've been letting you have too much sweets lately. Since you're a little stubborn about eating your vegetables, you'll at least get all of your daily vitamins with that."

She shoved a glass of water in my hand and I took the pill and drank some of the water. Mom has a habit of doing things like this suddenly. I wish there was some kind of warning buzzer for these kinds of moments. After lunch, I headed back down to the den to watch some more TV. But the next thing I knew, I was getting really tired. And then...

* * *

_A couple of things. Silver's house is based off of my childhood home. I couldn't get in too much detail of it without padding out the chapter with fluff. The "funny gas" anecdote is based off of my personal experience of getting a baby tooth pulled when I was young. The nose piece the dentist put on me really did smell like bubblegum. I also got Sonic Colors. ...I like it. Especially the drill and frenzy wisps._


	17. Trinity Reunion

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Conspiracy  
_**Trinity Reunion**

_June  
_Finally. The school year's over. I fell back onto my bed after happily waking up late the morning after the last day of school. The feeling of sprawling out in my pajamas without mom or dad bursting in and yelling at me to get dressed...it's just great! Not to mention it feels even better to be out of that icky school uniform. Definitely not summer friendly, even if it is a short sleeve white shirt and skirt. After having a bowl of cereal in front of the TV with dad in the living room (it was his day off from work), I got dressed not because I had plans for today. I just don't like wearing the same clothes for a long time. I start to feel lazy after a while. The second I walked out of my room, I heard a knock on the front door. Dad got it since mom had already left for work.

"Blaze! Tikal's here to see you!" he called to me.

I walked down the hallway and across the living room to greet Tikal at the front door. She was wearing a pink jacket over her light green summer dress. Odd.

"Hey," I said. "What brings you over here?"

"I stopped by to see if you wanted to go to the park today." Tikal smiled...but it felt uncomfortable.

"Sure. Let me get my shoes."

It only took me a few moments to run to my room and hop back out while tying my second shoe on.

"I'm going to the park with Tikal, dad." I said to him on my way out the door.

"Don't stay out too late." I heard him say as the door was pulled shut behind me.

When I asked Tikal if we were meeting anyone at the park she said that Knuckles might be there. I almost wanted to ask about Sonic but reminded myself that he's long gone now. I also reminded myself of the events last month over in the downtown area.

"It's a little warm out for a jacket, don't you think?" I asked Tikal the moment we stepped out of the apartment building.

"Well...I've been feeling a bit chilly lately," she said with that nervous smile again.

Again, I didn't want to comment on her weird behavior. She probably got hurt and wants to hide whatever bandage she's wearing or it could just be puberty.

* * *

When we reached the park a little later, I became a little concerned when we started heading for the forest area in the western area of the park as opposed to the populated picnic area and baseball field. Tikal and I were a few yards from the forest when she stopped and turned around with tears streaming down her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Blaze," she said clutching her zipped up jacket. "I didn't want to do it but he made me."

"What are you...oh crap."

It was too late when I finally realized it. I felt hands grab my arms and pulled them back behind me restraining me. A shadow in the grass suddenly appeared behind me. Espio's shadow, which could only mean... A blue light flashed near Tikal and she cowered a bit but long enough for Shadow, who appeared in the light, to grab her.

"Shadow!" I got his attention immediately. "What are you doing? What's gotten into you?"

He only glared at me before tugging on Tikal's arm and walking towards the forest.

"I'll scream." Shadow stopped and looked back at me. "There's plenty of people over there and I can be pretty loud if I want to be. I'm sure someone will hear me."

He grimaced and waved his hand in the air obviously not afraid of me. Espio held up one of his ninja daggers to my throat and, from there, Tikal and I were walked into the forest. The four of us had gone in pretty deep before Espio shoved me away and I nearly stumbled over. Shadow still had a firm grip on Tikal's arm as he looked on with disdain.

"Seriously Shadow," I said after standing up straight. "What happened to you? A few months ago you were...relatively passive. Why are you so aggressive now?"

Instead of answering my question, Shadow unzipped Tikal's jacket with force and caused her tears to increase. He held a flap open and around the echidna's waist was a black belt with some sort of electronic device attached at the front where a buckle would usually be. Looked kinda like a clock only the green face of the device was blank. The hedgehog held up a hand and I watched Espio toss a small black object, with two buttons on it, to Shadow. He caught it, pushed one of the buttons, and numbers appeared on the face of the device counting down from five minutes. ...Oh my god. Where did he get that?!

"Shadow...is that-"

"Yes, it's a bomb." Finally, he speaks. "Tell me where Silver lives."

"No! I want to know what's gotten into you? First there was the incident downtown last month and now you're strapping bombs to someone who has never even bothered you."

"Tell me where Silver is dammit!" His grip on Tikal forced a squeal out of her and she begged for him to let go.

Just then, we all heard someone coming east through the trees, yelling. Espio took a few steps to intercept the intruder but when Knuckles came through the foliage, he bulldozed the chameleon out of his way. I rushed to Espio's side while Knuckles took Shadow head on. The boys went down in a scuffle while Tikal backed away and cowered at a nearby tree. I was stopped by Espio just when I was going to help the poor girl.

"Please. Just tell him what he wants," he said.

"No way! Shadow's nuts! Something happened to you guys while you were gone so start talking. What's Shadow planning?"

The grunts and yells from the combatants continued on in the background. The chameleon hesitated before speaking.

"At first, we were on the same page about everything. But then things changed when we teamed up with _that guy_." I helped Espio up to his feet.

"Who are you talking about?" I said.

Knuckles was suddenly thrown to where we were with a few bruises on his face. Amazingly, he scrambled to his feet as if the punch was nothing at all.

"STOP! Hold it right there!" Shadow held up the remote for the bomb around Tikal's waist. "I can set this thing off early and take us all out!"

All of us froze. I noticed Knuckles shaking with rage. Shadow approached Tikal, while keeping and eye on us, and yanked her up to her feet. They approached us with Tikal's weeping the only sound in the vicinity. Shadow looked towards me still expecting his answer. Considering the current situation, I had no choice but to comply. Even Espio begged me to go along with Shadow. Well, the guy has control of an explosive devise that could kill us all.

"Over in the vills. I can show you the street he lives on," I said.

His crimson eyes didn't leave me for a few seconds. A few months ago, we could read each other easily. Now...he's a complete stranger. Shadow closed his eyes and that same feeling of deja vu came over me again. A tiny yellow, diamond cut gem appeared at Shadow's chest with the wind blowing wildly about us. Wait, I thought it was blue last time?

"A Chaos Emerald?" I barely heard Knuckles say over the wind.

So that's what it's called... Shadow cried out the words "Chaos Control" and a bright flash blinded us all.

When I finally opened my eyes, our surroundings had changed. A large open field of tan grass. To the north, at the top of the small slope, was the massive forest where the vills were. To our south, the burbs and downtown area. So that's what Shadow's Chaos Control can do... I decided to take the initiative and at least take some heat off of Tikal.

"This is as far as we're going Shadow," I said to him. "I'm not taking you any further until you let Knuckles and Tikal go."

"What? Blaze!" Knuckles said.

His cousin also disagreed but I was already set with my plan. It seemed to work. Shadow looked as if he was seriously considering it.

"All you want is Silver right?" I said. "Then why drag them into this any further? I'm sure you used Tikal to lure me out and Knuckles...well I'm not sure how he found out about your plan."

"When I was looking for Tikal this morning, I got worried. Then I heard Jet blabbing about Shadow coming back to town and got it out of him." the red echidna said with his arms crossed.

Judging by the pissed look on the hedgehog's face, I was starting worry a little about Jet's safety once this was all over.

"Deal," was all Shadow said and he began to take the belt off of Tikal.

After removing the belt, he made Tikal give up her jacket and shoved her back to Knuckles. I was grabbed by the arm and forced to put on the explosive belt much to Tikal and Knuckles's horror. The timer was stopped. Three minutes and twenty-five seconds left. Knuckles wanted to lunge at Shadow so badly but one wave of the detonator held him back.

"I'll be fine," I said to them as Shadow helped me put on Tikal's pink jacket.

"Espio, walk those two home. **All the way to the front door**. No side trips." Shadow said to his accomplice.

I could see that the chameleon wanted to say something but a harsh glare from Shadow convinced him otherwise and he led the echidnas south. Shadow pushed at my back and we headed north towards the vills. What the hell am I going to do?

* * *

When we reached the bottom of the slope, a knot in the back of my throat was building up. I knew Shadow wasn't going to detonate the bomb. Well...I didn't know that for sure but I was confident that he wouldn't since he openly took a liking to me a few months back. A friend and nothing more despite his teasing.

"What are you going to do to Silver when you meet him?" I asked to break the silence.

He said nothing, the only noise being our footfalls and the distant traffic from the major road two miles away. I kept pressing for some sort of conversation.

"Back there in the forest, Espio told me you two had a run in with someone. Is that why you're acting so different now?"

Again nothing. But I shouldn't be surprised. Shadow's not really the type to admit weakness. Even a few months ago when he was as bit more approachable, he still guarded his faults fiercely.

"Look, I don't know what you two were up to but just because this guy did something unfair to you doesn't mean you can take out your anger on us, let alone get Silver involved."

Shadow suddenly stopped me by gripping my arm. When I looked over at him, his gaze appeared to disappear into the rising slope before us. A wind came in from the west at my back.

"Unfair? Ha," he said quietly. "Understatement of the century."

The edge of his mouth turned up slightly into a tiny smile and for a moment I saw the cynical, passive yet aggressive boy I was familiar with. Just as I started to crack a smile, Shadow raised his right hand with the detonator and pushed the button. The timer continued down from three minutes and twenty-five seconds.

"Also, I shouldn't be so trusting of Espio." He looked towards me. "He appears fearful of me but I can sense his fearlessness behind my back."

I decided to go ahead and get a little smart on him for old times sake.

"So how low are you going to let the counter go? I can assume it'll be your leverage for when they turn back for me." I asked.

"_When they turn back._ Amusing." We continued to walk on with Shadow taking my arm. "Your mind is still as sharp as ever."

* * *

By the time we reached my old neighborhood, Shadow had already stopped the timer at an unsettling ten seconds. The pink jacket, which Shadow kindly allowed me to wear unzipped, had to be zipped up now. With the detonator in my right pocket (the side he insisted on walking on), we casually walked out onto the sidewalk, hand in hand unfortunately.

"Are you enjoying this?" I asked with a straight face.

"It's more about keeping you on a short leash since I don't have convenient pockets for the detonator," he said. "Then again, you wouldn't dare use your powers against me, would you?"

"...No."

It wasn't a matter of me being concerned for Shadow's safety. We were in my **old neighborhood**. I'd rather not be seen here at all let alone use my powers here. Aside from that, I still hadn't worked out a somewhat feasible plan for diverting Shadow from Silver's home.

"So what were you and Espio up to the past few months?" Not exactly a great time for idle conversation but I needed to keep him busy while I brainstormed.

"The less you know the better," he said.

…

"That's it? No philosophical add-on or such?"

"That's it."

...Whatever they were doing must've been serious. Hopefully not newsworthy but, then again, I don't really pay attention to the news even when my parents are at home. I'm usually in my room doing homework or listening to the pop music station on the radio which talks more about celebrity gossip than…real news I suppose.

"Can you at least tell me about this guy you and Espio met? From what he said, it sounds like he's the reason you're a bit-"

"Like I said, **understatement of the century**. Just drop it already." His clamping grip on my hand felt strong enough to fracture a bone or two.

I winced from the pain and Shadow apologized under his breath. I got in a few short glances from the corner of my eye and saw a strained look on his face. The humane part of me wanted to get him to open up, but logic prevailed. For all I knew, _this guy _they were with could've almost killed Shadow. We were coming up on the street Silver lived on. It was then when I realized how unusually quiet the neighborhood was. Not even a few scattered out kids playing. Maybe the public schools hadn't let out for the summer yet. Just when I was contemplating a suicide attack of detonating the bomb something unexpected happened. A familiar blue streak came from behind and skidded to a stop in the street. A feeling of joy built up in my heart while Shadow's hand lightly gripped mine out of anger. It was strange seeing Sonic nearly out of breath as he approached us on the sidewalk. He wiped the sweat from his brow and bent over, hands on his knees.

"It took me two hours to get here from Mobotropolis," he said in between breaths.

Two hours? It's at lest a seven hour trip by car. He must've been running at an insane speed.

"Why the rush?" Shadow said looking at Sonic with disgust.

"After that mess you and Robotnik created on Prison Island two months ago? Real funny Shadow." Sonic stood up sounding less tired than he did a few seconds ago. "Besides, I know what you're planning. Rouge filled me in on the info you guys took during the ambush. After all these years...you never left that place behind."

"Of course I didn't! How could I just throw away our home after what G.U.N. Did? Or have you forgotten as well?"

"I still remember...just barely." During a brief pause, Sonic shared the same pained look that Shadow had seconds ago. "It's why I've turned my back on G.U.N. for good. Didn't want to be a hypocrite."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's why you fell back on Rouge for inside intelligence."

I was dragged by Shadow and we continued on past Sonic. At least until he said something that forced me to stop in my tracks.

"Shadow's going to kill Silver," he called out after us.

I looked back, eyes widened, and saw that he was dead serious.

"What are you talking about?" When I tried to pull away from Shadow, his grip on my hand only tightened.

Sonic approached me but didn't bother to speak quietly making sure Shadow heard his every word.

"Silver might be dangerous now," he said. "Shadow is going to kill him because, in the hands of G.U.N., Silver is a potentially dangerous weapon against him. Once I inform the G.U.N. agents acting as Silver's parents, that's it. Your hide'n'seek games come to an end."

I still didn't know what to say or how to react to this strange information. Why is Silver so dangerous? What does the military have to do with these guys? And just who is this Robotnik Sonic mentioned? I was right to think that getting involved with these hedgehogs was dangerous when I saw that blue Chaos Emerald appear out of Shadow. And I was right to think that Silver _might_ have some involvement with them as well. I was too shocked by this bizarre information to answer properly. That's when Shadow forced me to walk with him, in the opposite direction of Silver's home.

"It'll only take me a few seconds to reach their house from here." Sonic called out to us.

The black hedgehog suddenly reached into the right pocket of my jacket and took out the detonator. The pink jacket was ripped open and the detonator held high and clear for Sonic to see.

"Ten seconds," said Shadow. "That's all I need so go ahead and tell them. We'll be dead before they lift a finger."

Sonic had the same stupefied look that the echidnas had once he saw the bomb. Those few seconds was all that Shadow needed. He took off in a different direction, cutting in between some houses, and back into the forest. I managed to keep up with him but still asked him questions. Questions about what Sonic was talking about, where we were going, _what happened to him_. His persistence in dodging my questions was really starting to get on my nerves. Almost to the point where I wanted to use my powers to burn his over-gripping hand. Even though it's been a year since I've been on this side of town, our surroundings started to look familiar. ...A little too familiar. Every time I tried to resist Shadow's momentum he'd just pull on me harder. His random grunts, disoriented movement through the forest, his heavy breaths... It wasn't like him to panic like this. Like he was just doing everything on a whim. Unless...

"Shadow, did you just get here and decided that you were going to kill Silver all of the sudden?" I asked.

We hopped over a fallen tree together.

"You're a mess and you can't keep hiding it. Your thinking is all over the place, I can tell."

He brushed aside some shrubbery for us to pass through.

"I'm seriously worried Shadow! What happened to you out there?"

Finally he stopped and looked at me with a multitude of emotions on his face.

"The less-"

"I know, the better. Yeah I got that but at this point you have to tell me what's going on." For once, my grip was tighter than his. "Bomb threat aside, I'm not going to let you kill my best friend. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and tried to understand you and, while I'm starting to regret it now, I still want to know what you're up to. Not because I care about you, but because you're supposedly trying to **kill my best friend.**"

It was gradual but he eventually released my hand and took a few steps back.

"So it's over that quickly? Four months and the distance returns..." His voice trailed off just like his eyes.

I don't like losing friends but him...I could sacrifice. He's gone off the deep end at this point so, despite his interesting intellect, it's best if I distanced myself from Shadow.

"…Sonic's right," he finally said. "I _am_ trying to kill Silver. It wasn't some half-baked plan I cooked up at the last second. The reasons really are of no concern to you since my only intentions are to take him out of the equation."

It was then when we heard a voice.

"Hello? Who's over there?"

Crap! It's Silver! Shadow may have read my reaction for he got this creepy smile on his face. I had to act fast! I grabbed Shadow's wrists and tried to wrestle the detonator from him. But then Silver showed up pushing his way through some bushes. The two of us stopped our struggle briefly before Shadow threw me aside like trash. Silver wasn't too happy and the black and red hedgehog started to approach him eagerly.

"Silver! Get out of here!" I yelled while getting up.

Not surprisingly, my friend didn't understand and just froze in utter confusion. Looks like I'm gonna have to take control of this situation. Suddenly, everything changed again when Sonic showed up sliding in between Shadow and Silver. Seeing those three standing together... It looked like some odd family portrait and I couldn't explain why.

"Silver, Blaze, get as far away from here as you can," said Sonic. "I'll keep Shadow busy."

I ran over to Silver just as Sonic charged Shadow and the two began to struggle. Despite my insistence, my friend still wanted to wrap his head around the situation.

"Who they are right now doesn't matter! We have to go. NOW!" I said pulling on the jaw-dropped hedgehog.

Just as we escaped, the detonator tumbled across the ground stopping in front of us. I looked over to see Sonic on the black hedgehog's back holding him down like some wrestler. At least my fate was out of Shadow's hands at the moment. I scooped up the detonator and Silver and I hightailed it out of there. Running was difficult, at first, with me having to pull on Silver but then he got the message and was matching my pace. I never imagined that this was how my reunion with Silver would be after nearly a year; running from some freakishly powerful kid and a bomb strapped around my waist. Still, the sensation of his hand in mine provided comfort to some deep part of my heart. And then I saw it. The southern edge of the forest leading out to the open fields. I had no idea what we were going to do once out in the open. Maybe go to my home? Or try and escape Emerald Town all together...at least until Shadow is driven out. But hopeful future plans came to a halt when our path was blocked by an unexpected enemy.

We came to a stop and Silver immediately stepped out in front of me. Lucas was in the clearing hunching over a pile of stones and dried wood. Off to the side was some food that looked like it came from the convenient store piled up on his dirty green jacket. The wolf stood up, having grown a few more muscles since I last remembered him, and looked back at us. His initial thoughts were unknown as he stared us down, Silver's thoughts spoke loudly through his body language as usual. He wanted to protect me, that much was obvious from his standing in front of me...but he also twitched as well. Muscles tensed up. He was going to act before thinking. Not much has changed about Silver aside from this show of courage.

"...A witch...and a freak. Never thought I'd see you two together again," Lucas said. "You know, even though you got me arrested the police chief still let me off 'cause my parents are on good terms with him. But that still didn't stop dad from kicking me out. So I've been out here for the past few months. I've even gone back to the school a few times and watched you and your dweeb friends..."

The way his voice trailed off there for a moment caused Silver to relax a little. Even I let down my guard curious to this soft side of Lucas. But our guards went back up seconds later as the large kid violently kicked the stones and sticks out of place.

"Just knowing that you got off for all the trouble you caused me pisses me off!" Lucas punched his fist into his hand and started to approach us. "And as for that witch...she's the whole reason this mess started!"

"Back of Lucas! I mean it!" Silver said in a tone that was new to my ears.

Maybe he's changed more than I thought. Silver's words weren't enough to even stall the wolf. I stepped aside at the last second and watched the boys go down in a scuffle. It didn't take long for the overbearing Lucas to gain the advantage over Silver. He was able to stand up holding my friend by his neck. I stuffed the detonator into the pocket of the pink jacket and grabbed onto Lucas from his left hoping to at least loosen his grip on my friend. But when he slapped me away, I came back this time not caring about the bomb or keeping anything secret about myself. A flame ignited within my hands and, by the grace of luck, Silver was left unharmed. Much of the damage was done to the wolf's left arm and some of his face. He stumbled back screaming and patting out the flames on him while I tended to a breathless Silver.

"I'm fine..." Silver coughed a little. "Just go, I can handle him."

The way Silver ripped his arm away from me when I tried to hold him back...it scared me a little. This new courage is welcoming but he really needs to control his impulses and think things through or at least be more sensible and calculating about his decisions. Then again, it's only been a year so I can't expect much. The white hedgehog's arms flailed through the air pounding against Lucas who had just gotten to his feet. And then the final blow was dealt to Silver. The wolf headbutted him right between the eyes, hard enough for me to wince at the blunt sound. The smaller boy fell like a rag doll and the wolf's eyes were trained on me. He charged, growling, and swung his fist. The first one I dodged but the second one got me right upside my head and I was sent tumbling in the ground. A migraine radiated through my skull and it was enough for Lucas to grab my hands and hold them above my head with just one of his enormous hands. He was on top...I was on the bottom. My legs were trapped between his...his rancid breath stung the inside of my nose. My vision was blurry and my mind was too disoriented to focus on making fire. ...But my thoughts wavered even further away when I felt pressure moving across the sensitive parts of my chest.

"Never understood what those idiot weasels liked so much about you. Not really all that impressive," he said in a low tone.

"STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT! PLEASE STOP!" I cried, tears streaming from my eyes.

"Oh so that's your weakness. I wonder what happened if I did this!"

His hand pressed violently against the soft mounds of my chest, the discomfort coupled with their tenderness made me scream out even louder. Every muscle in my body wriggled against his weight and his heckling laughter in my face forced more tears out of my eyes. Panic turned into fear, which turned into anger. My hands began to warm and Lucas shouted, his weight lifting off of me. When I sat up, my arms over my chest, I saw smoke rising from his left hand as he stood hunched over a few feet away.

All of the sudden, a black blur shot out from the trees, a fury of screams coming from it, and kicked the wolf. It was Shadow, bruised a little but standing strong nonetheless. Despite the size difference between the two, the dark hedgehog showed no fear in attacking Lucas with a series of calculated kicks and punches. The taller boy struggled to block every hit but his guard eventually fell and an uppercut to Lucas's chin left him wide open. In the blink of an eye, Shadow's right hand gripped Lucas at his heart...and a loud pop shook my eardrums. The bright light emitted from Shadow's hand was brief and shot straight through Lucas like a spear...but the silence that followed was unsettling. Against the backdrop of the forest's edge, the figures of Shadow and Lucas froze momentarily before the larger boy dropped to the ground with a thud and the hedgehog relaxed his stance. He took a moment of rest before approaching me and held out his bloodstained hand to help me up. However, it was more than just his hand that was stained with Lucas's blood. Splatter marks were all over his right side, including a few drops on his face. I quivered, unable to bring myself to reach out for Shadow and I watched as his eyes wander over to his appendage and then retracted it as if to reconsider a decision. He held out his left hand instead...and, shivering with fear and pain, I reached up and grabbed onto it. The strength he used to lift me to my feet was neither weak or struggling but strong and assured as if he still had plenty of energy left in him contrary to his tired look.

I could've escaped right there and then. In fact I should've. But the deep emotional scars I had at the moment were a little too overwhelming. Shadow's gentle hand, his clean one, lifted my chin so he could see my eyes. He examined them before speaking.

"Are you ok?"

"No...never was." I said under my breath.

"Don't worry, I have faith in your strength." His thumb wiped away a renegade tear. "I know you'll grow strong and overcome your pain."

For the first time since I met him, Shadow was emitting an unusual amount of compassion. Even more so than he did months ago when he kept me company when I cried after revealing my secret to him. Was this the bit of humanity that slept deep within him? The humanity that Espio believed in so much?

"Why?" I had to ask. I needed to be sure this was a genuine reaction from Shadow. "Why did you save me?"

"I suppose…you mean a lot to me. It's rare for someone to earn that place."

Does this mean he never forgot about me while he was gone? That he always kept his feelings about me in his heart the four months he was out doing who-knows-what? The way he constantly refused to tell me what his was doing…he was just being kind to me. Trying to keep me out of his troubles.

The moment was shattered by Sonic's entrance, accompanied by a gust of wind. At the same time, Silver was coming to from his brief unconsciousness. The dark hedgehog reacted quickly and grabbed my arm. A blue flash filled my vision and for a few seconds I felt my feet leave the ground.

* * *

The sudden scene change found us out in the fields near the abandoned warehouses in between the suburbs and the forest.

"No Chaos Control?" I asked.

"That's for longer distances. I'm short on energy for that right now. This is about as far as I can go with normal teleporting," Shadow said before tightening his grip on my hand and taking off with me in tow

Right there, at that time, I felt that Shadow's hand was the safest place in the world. The hand of someone who had just murdered another kid in cold blood. Was I losing my sanity?

We entered into the warehouse area through a gap in the chain link fence and out from between buildings came Knuckles swinging a fist at Shadow. He released my hand and engaged the echidna head on. I backed away as the two boys swung fist after fist at each other, the echidna showing more fight than the weakening hedgehog. Shadow soon got lucky and was able to grab Knuckles by the arm and used the echidna's charge to swing him in a circle sending him right towards me. We fell to the ground, my hip falling onto the detonator still in the pocket of the jacket I wore. The short battle came to an end when I shrieked at the time which started up again. To make matters worse, the stop button on the detonator was damaged from the fall, rendering the device useless at this point. From there on I was acting on instinct, running out into the field through the gap in the fence, throwing the jacket off of me, and then fiddling with the belt trying to get it off as the timer reached five seconds. But then my body was forced to a halt. A sea green aura surrounded me and the latch on the belt came loose. As I watched the object shoot into the sky, my eyes came across Silver and Sonic far across the field...and Silver's body with the same colored aura around him. An explosion came from above forcing me to my knees and covering myself. Afterwards, I looked back up to see the two hedgehogs running towards me.

"Blaze!" Silver, with a dark bruise between his eyes, waved his arms wildly.

While the white hedgehog stopped to embrace me, Sonic kept going past us to Knuckles's aid. I looked back to see Shadow throwing the echidna aside and then fell to his knees from exhaustion. Silver and I decided to join our friends.

"Give it up already Shadow, you're done here," Sonic said with the rest of us standing by him.

He glanced at the boys before finally settling on me at the end. I think he read my concerned looks for he let go of whatever split second decision he was about to make and lowered his head in defeat. Suddenly, we heard police sirens in the distance. The four of us panicked about what to do. Shadow stood and would've left but Sonic intimidated him with the threat of a never ending chase. It was clear he was using Shadow's fatigue to his advantage...and yet I felt pity for the black hedgehog. Familiar throwing stars suddenly landed at our feet forcing the four of us to jump back and Espio appeared out of nowhere right behind Shadow and took his friend by the arm. The hedgehog stopped his companion to say a few last words.

"...Take care of yourself Blaze."

They vanished and grass blades rustled under the movement of their escaping feet. I was startled that his last words were for me. It seemed that Silver was too.

"We need to get out of here guys! Gather around me!" said Sonic.

Silver, Knuckles, and myself stood around Sonic and the next few moments were very familiar to me. The wind began to pick up around us and a shining light came from the blue hedgehog chest as he concentrated on pulling a diamond shaped gem out of him. This time it was a green emerald, smaller than the one I saw in Knuckles's home last year, but just as vibrant.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" Sonic shouted and the four of us disappeared in a loud clap of thunder.

The feeling of weightlessness and blindness from the bright light was similar to when Shadow teleported with me. But this time it lasted a little longer and I could hear all sorts of sounds zipping by like we were traveling like a bullet or something. Finally, the weightless sensation came to an end and I came out of the weird...portal thing. Not sure what to call it but that's the best thing I could describe it as. I landed on my back, in tall grass with the clear sky overhead. I heard the other guys moaning from the same slight pain I was suffering from and sat up to see them lying in the grass as well.

"Ow...what was that?" Knuckles was the first to ask.

"Heh. Chaos Control," said Sonic scratching the back of his head. "So I really can do it. How are you two holding up?"

"I'm fine," I answered.

Silver was too busy looking around, most likely trying to figure out where we were. I took in our surroundings as well. We were definitely in the fields outside of Emerald Town...and the tree line of a forest could be seen about half a mile behind us. In front of us was a chain of mountains on the horizon. According to the geography of our town, those mountains are to the north so we're on the northern outskirts.

"I think we're somewhere north of town," said Knuckles standing up. "Those mountains over there are the Mobian Divide."

"Hey, I think you're right Knux." Sonic joined the echidna's side. "Well whaddaya know! I didn't think we'd make it this far. Hahaha-OW!"

Sonic suddenly found himself on his back, having been on the receiving end of right hook from Knuckles. I expected Silver to be a little concerned hardly knowing either of them at all, but I knew this was going to happen sooner or later, depending on how long it took for Sonic to return to town. The hedgehog didn't get angry or say anything. He just rubbed his bruised cheek as if he realized the punch was something that he deserved. It was clear those two were going to need some space to chat so I pulled up Silver and guided him away so we could catch up.

"Don't worry about those two," I said noticing Silver still looking back at the odd buddies. "They just need to straighten out a few things between each other."

"Oh..."

Eventually Silver dragged his sight away from them and nearly jumped me in a hug. Now there's the kid I remember from before. I eased him off of me and took in his cheesy grin.

"I see you've changed a little," I said.

"Really!?" His eyes lit up like spotlights.

"Haha...only just a little." And then his happy moment was over, ears folded over in slight disappointment. "You still have to work on that impulse of yours. Lucas could've killed you."

I brushed a thumb against the still elevated bruise between his eyes and Silver flinched moving my hand away.

"I know but...I finally stood up to him a few months ago and he was gone after that. I wasn't expecting so see him so soon." He lowered his sight, probably ashamed of how ineffective he was. "He didn't do anything to you while I was out, did he?"

For a second, I was actually going to respond but stopped myself before I even uttered the first syllable. How could I tell him? I'm sure his "vengeance" or whatever against Lucas a few months ago was because of what happened to me last year. So how will he react if I told him that it happened to me again at the hands of Lucas? I'm sure Silver saw the kid's corpse when he came to so he could be relieved. Yet there's also the chance he could hold a grudge against the deceased bully out of spite and shame of not being able to give him what he deserved. A waste of energy, really, considering that Shadow took care of that. ...I still can't believe I'm grateful for such an icy-hearted murderer.

"Blaze?" Silver's hand waving in my face kicked me out of my sudden trance.

"He um..." Might as well get it out of the way. Even I hate myself for being unnecessarily hesitant. "It happened again."

"Huh? What did?"

"...You know."

Watching his face change was like watching one of those nature documentaries where they speed up the footage where everything moves faster but still has a gradual transition. Silver was blank with unawareness and then transitioned to worry, fear, horror, and settled on anger. I was quick to grab and hold his hands when he lowered his head and growled a little.

"There's no reason to be upset now, Silver. He's dead! He can't hurt anyone else now," my voice pleaded.

His muscles trembled and became still within seconds. The anger melted away to bitterness.

"I know." His bitter eyes wandered up to mine. "That black hedgehog...did he do it?"

"Shadow? Yeah, he did." I was careful not to sound too happy.

"I suppose we owe him one...but you and Sonic treated him like he was trouble. Is he the reason that bomb was around your waist?"

"Um...yeah." To Silver, I may have looked weak or even ashamed I was in such a situation. In truth, I felt like I was ratting out good kid...with some _serious_ issues.

Again he tensed up but then pulled me into a hug. It wasn't one of his so-happy-I-could-die hugs. More like a protective hug, like he was afraid of parting from me again.

"You shouldn't spend your life living like this," Silver whispered to me. "I'll do everything I can to protect you, even though we live apart now."

"Silver..."

How can I say "I'll be okay" when I'm not really ok? Once was uncomfortable and just a bad memory, but twice? Lucas said I wasn't impressive. What if I end up staying that way and all the girls around me...get bigger? I'll just be a walking target. Before I realized it, I was crying into Silver's shoulder. Silently of course, I was never a noise maker like he was. Our short and bittersweet reunion was interrupted after that.

"Sorry to break up the moment." I head Sonic's voice come from behind me.

I moved away from Silver and wiped my tears quickly while my back was still turned to Sonic and Knuckles.

"It's fine," I said trying to use my normal, calm voice. I turned back to face them. "Did you two patch things up?"

"Eh...something like that." Sonic waved his hand in the air.

"He's admitted and apologized for _some_ of his transgressions." Knuckles filled in crossing his arms. "It's good enough for me."

"Alright then. So you'll poof us back home now?" I said.

"Not quite. There's some things I need to discuss with you two...and I guess it's ok if Knuckles hears this as well." The blue hedgehog smiled feebly at the stoic echidna. "I probably shouldn't ramble on too much knowing what Silver's parents are."

"My parents? What are you talking about?" said Silver.

"Wow, you really don't remember anything do you?"

Silver and I looked at each other simultaneously, clueless to what Sonic was going on about.

"So you never knew your parents were G.U.N. agents?" Sonic asked.

"G.U.N.!? As in the military organization?" Silver said.

Sonic slapped himself in the face and shook his head. "Geez. I really don't have time to go over everything with you."

"Then just stick to the important parts," I said. "To be honest, a few odd things have happened since you left suddenly."

"Yeah I should probably explain that too..." Sonic chuckled scratching the back of his head. "Alright, the important parts. Well, like I said, Silver your parents are G.U.N. agents just like Rouge. Yes, yes! I know Blaze. I confirmed your hunch, right?"

It feels nice being on the right track in a mystery, but I digress. Sonic continued on explaining that his and Silver's residence in Emerald Town was no coincidence. Silver was placed here years ago as an infant, with agents acting as parents, so he would be protected from Shadow's influence. You know, having witnessed some of Silver's telekinetic powers earlier I can see why. Then, six years ago, Shadow escaped from Prison Island, G.U.N.'s strongest base, and went off the grid until a year and a half ago when he was spotted using a Chaos Emerald.

"You probably don't realize it but that little jewel inside of me gives me more than just warping abilities. The same goes for Shadow. It's why I was sent here with Rouge to act as a guard between Shadow and Silver."

"Why didn't G.U.N. just come in and capture Shadow himself?" Silver asked.

"Hellooo? Did you not hear me when I said that the Chaos Emeralds can do more than just warping for us?" Sonic knocked on Silver's head lightly. "Before I chased Shadow back here, he did a number on Mobotropolis using the Chaos Emerald. Not to mention a whole bunch of other places over the past few weeks. If you ever have the misfortune of seeing what he can do with that emerald, you'll understand why G.U.N. kept their distance from him."

"A little too cautious, if you ask me," I said. "But it _was_ the best decision seeing as how Shadow did nothing after he, coincidentally, spotted me and Silver during the Garden Festival last year."

"Really? You know that actually explains why he was so interested in you."

And knowing that he was only interested in me in order to kill Silver isn't much comfort. So after a year of no activity from Shadow, G.U.N. made the decision to put Sonic through three months of rigorous training at the base in Mobotropolis. So that explains why he suddenly moved out of town earlier this year. He and Rouge were strongly against the decision but it was carried out anyway. Then, three months ago, Shadow (with help from the terrorist, Dr. Robotnik) broke into Prison Island and stole the yellow Chaos Emerald from there. That was when Sonic ditched his training (and G.U.N. in general) and ended up chasing Shadow all over the Mobius continent.

"He was attacking bases and towns at random. While G.U.N. was at a lost on what Shadow was thinking, I figured it was a diversion for coming back here. I probably should've waited here for him...but I was too focused on trying to prevent anyone from getting hurt." I patted Sonic on the shoulder for at least trying his best. "Oh well." He bounced back quick from that little downer. "In the end he came back here and so did I...and now here we are!" He held out his hands as if he just finished a great speech.

Silver was about to clap his hands...but I stopped him.

"Great story and all and I can understand why Silver needed to know, but what's it got to do with me?" I asked Sonic.

"Everything." I jumped a little at the deadpan tone he used. "Considering the mess we left back there, the worldwide red alert status on Shadow...and the _dead kid_, I wouldn't be surprised if Silver's parents used their military authority to investigate the explosion with the-"

"OH SHIT!"

Silver gasped, Knuckles looked at me like his just saw a ghost, and Sonic was surprised as well. I didn't mean to interrupt him (or swear for that matter) but I connected the dots and realized that I left Tikal's jacket behind..._at the scene of the explosion!_ If Silver's parents do get involved, Tikal will be in trouble. I relayed my discovery to the guys and, no surprised, Knuckles exploded.

"WHAT!? Sonic we _have_ to go back there!" the echidna grabbed the blue hedgehog by his arms.

"Dude, there's gotta be tons of police there now! Even I can't move fast enough for them to not notice me taking a jacket from the _scene of a crime_," said Sonic.

Knuckles broke down moaning over what to do about his cousin while Sonic tried to console him. Unexpectedly, Silver broke down as well whining to me about getting into trouble with his military parents and some other ridiculous fears. I had to bring these boys back to sanity.

"Calm down guys! This won't get us anywhere!" I said clapping my hands.

"Blaze is right!" Sonic said. "We just have to keep our heads on our shoulders...well _you_ guys have to do that. I'm gonna take off and chase down Shadow after this."

So much for the morale boost. Silver and Knuckles were annoyed at their fleeing comrade, to say the least.

"In any case," I stepped in. "Once Lucas's body is discovered, a full blown investigation is going to happen. They may find footprints but I'm sure they won't be able to tell who they came from." At least that's what I'm hoping if those cop dramas dad watches are slightly accurate.

"And when they find debris from the bomb and Silver's parents recognize it as G.U.N. material, they'll probably peg Shadow as the kid's murder considering the condition of the corpse," said Sonic. "Silver, you might want to wash off your shoes when I take you back to your neighborhood. To at least get rid of the dirt from the scene. You should probably do the same too Blaze since G.U.N. experts never leave a stone unturned. Knux, you and Tikal need to get your stories straight. Pin it all on Shadow. Same goes for you two. I recommend not mentioning that Shadow found Silver. His parents will have to report it and he'll most likely be taken out of here to the safest base."

It was a truth that both Silver and I didn't want to acknowledge but had to given the current situation. So the events that happened on this day would be a lie, perhaps for the rest of our lives if Silver and I wanted to stay friends for life.

"I also recommend that you make no contact with each other from here on out. It's possible that Silver's parents already have a wire or some other recording device on all their electronics. Phones, computers, fax machines... You can't run the risk of being overheard talking about this incident, even if it's just saying something offhandedly or vague. Just play it safe from here on out if you don't want G.U.N. interfering with your lives."

As much as Silver and I hated it, especially since we made no efforts to contact each other this past year, it was a sound plan. While I knew the story I was going to tell if I were investigated, I worked with Silver's on his and a believable explanation for the bruise. With everything set between us, Silver, Knuckles, and I gathered around Sonic to be taken back to our homes. However, Silver had one last thing to ask the blue hedgehog.

"After everything I heard I have to ask, is there a reason why you, me, and Shadow are so important to G.U.N.?" the white hedgehog said.

Sonic smiled at first and patted Silver on his shoulder.

"You know, I should tell you. But I think your life will be better off not knowing what brought you here. And I'll stay on Shadow's tail to make sure it stays that way. Personally, I think it would be better if you lived your life away from G.U.N. but I'm no miracle worker."

I know that Sonic meant well but it wasn't enough for Silver. I could tell that he really wanted to know more about his connection to those two. But Sonic's mission from G.U.N., or rather his personal obligation since he's no longer with the organization, was to guard Silver from not only Shadow but the military as well. He really does have a lot of compassion in his heart if he's going this far out of his way to protect someone he hardly knows. I held onto Silver's hand and whispered to him that things will be fine from now on. His mouth curled up into a small smile.


	18. Knuckles: A Father's Journal

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian_**  
Knuckles: A Father's Journal**

_July_  
The commotion over last month's events died down quickly once Tikal and I were seen as victims of Shadow's crime. She was still in shock when I came back and found her still behind my house even though I told her to go home. So I took the opportunity to rehearse the story we would tell the police. We didn't know Lucas and knew the same rumors everyone else did about Shadow. After that, it was over for us. I wonder if it was the same for Blaze and her friend Silver. Sonic's long gone...for good this time. He used that Chaos Control of his to drop me off at home first. The last I saw of him was with the other two, disappearing using the Chaos Emerald within him. My aunt and uncle were grateful Tikal came out of the situation unharmed. Mother...she doesn't show a lot of emotions. Wait, let me rephrase that. She doesn't show various emotions aside from pleased, displeased, and pissed off. So it's always been a bit of a mystery as to how her marriage to father worked. It's hard to imagine her as loving and warming proven by her reaction of when a detective came to our door the two days after the boy's murder. She wasn't overly shocked or upset as the detective explained the situation to her. She just said the expected "Oh my" and disapproving gestures. She didn't even have some facial reaction when the white hedgehog detective questioned me in front of her and I explained my rehearsed story. In the end, she just put a cold arm around me and said, "Well at least you're safe." I wished she actually meant those words.

In any case, it's back to the usual with our summer routine; more chores around the house, extra academic studying, and the same strict curfew. Right now, mother has me organizing the basement so we can get rid of stuff we don't need anymore. Probably sending them back to relatives on dad's side of the family. It's not much, just boxes of old pictures, ceramics, and other random knickknacks from when dad and my birth mother moved in. Having died when I was born, I only have pictures of my birth mother my aunt and uncle keep at their place to remember her by.

Two hours into cleaning and I started to consider taking a break. I'm sure mother wouldn't mind. I finished up with another cardboard box and pushed it to the side along with all of the others in the "keeping" section I made. I would've gone back upstairs but the last box behind the previous one caught my eye. More specifically, the writing on the box. Words from the Echidna language were written in big, black marker. I've seen the writing before on various artifacts at aunt and uncle's place but couldn't read it. So I took the box cutter and sliced through the tape on top and opened it. Dust came out, which I fanned away, and inside were three leather bound journals and other old looking books underneath. One by one I removed the journals, the pages in them still intact and not very worn. I opened the black journal, trimmed with gold, and was shocked by the writing on the inside flap.

_From Sabre to Locke. May your Guardianship go well._

This was my father's journal! I'm sure of it! I recognized his handwriting…and it seemed this was his first journal from over twenty years ago. More importantly was the message on the inside flap. I could only assume it was written by my grandfather Sabre who I never met but heard father talk about sometimes. What did he mean by "Guardianship?" Was father in a special army or something? I quickly set aside the black journal and took a peek at the other two, red and tan colored, also journals belonging to my father. The red one from my great grandfather, Athair, and the tan one from…someone named Janelle-li. I honestly couldn't believe it! Journals written by my father were sitting in our basement collecting dust over the years. Why didn't mother tell me about them? No matter. Upon looking through the rest of the contents in the box, there were three large books, all of them really old and leather bound with ratted pages. The text was entirely in Echidna language. Not much help for me…but I decided to keep them just in case. After packing the journals back into the box, I carried it upstairs. I stopped at the basement door and checked to see if mother was in the dining room on the right or anywhere in the living room on the left. All clear. From there I hurried across the narrow hall and up the stairs to my room.

* * *

Most of the day was spent doing other chores around the house and some studying in the afternoon. Mother insisted on it so I could keep up my grades and "stay ahead of the curve." Dinnertime came and, like always, I headed upstairs to get dressed. I get that dressing up for something as simple as dinner was common in the old days, not just for echidnas but humans as well. So why are we doing it now? We're not royalty or insanely rich like celebrities. We don't even invite guest over…AT ALL. It's just mother and I sitting at the ends of the dining room table in silence. Once I was done (wearing a white button-down shirt, blue tie, and dress shoes) I headed downstairs to see the table almost ready. Plates set at the ends of the oak table, three chairs long, and food set up in the center, the faux flower centerpiece that was usually there on a side table. I took my plate from the table end closest to the basement stairs and started piling on food; salad, plenty of greens, and freshly baked ham. Dessert was only served on the last Saturday of each month. It was the first Friday of the month…and because it was Friday, mother walked into the dining room with her usual bottle of wine already uncorked. All I was ever allowed to drink was water. "A healthy mind needs a healthy body" mother once said years ago when I asked about having juice for dinner. The meal was enjoyed in silence, the only sound being our utensils lightly clinking against the plates.

Partway into our meal…

"Starting next weekend you'll be sent away for your Guardian training," she said suddenly.

I choked on the water I was drinking and tried to recover quickly.

"W-What?" I coughed out after a few seconds.

"You'll begin your Guardian training next weekend." Mother took another sip from her glass of wine. "It's a job that's been passed down from your ancestors since the fall of our civilization. Since you're coming up on the age of the adulthood, it's time you prepared for the task of looking after the Master Emerald and protecting it from outsiders who wish to misuse it."

The frankness of her tone…I was just stunned. Was mother drinking a different, stronger wine this evening? That really made no sense and was completely out of nowhere. I knew what the age of adulthood was in echidna culture (sixteen), but the rest of that sounded like some fantasy story.

"Um, are you alright mother? Do you need me to help you to your room?" I said calmly.

Her utensils dropped with a clang and I was sure she was going to blow her lid over nothing.

"That large jewel in the case out in the living room. **That's** the Master Emerald."

She was quite sober in the way she spoke so I guess it wasn't the wine. From there, mother continued to eat while explaining more about this Guardian stuff.

"The reason I kept you from getting too curious about it was because the case it's in hides its energy signatures from anyone who might be seeking it. Like that damn _human_ military."

G.U.N. Mother always got a thorn in her side when it came to talking about them even though there are plenty of Mobians in the organization.

"All that aside, like your father and those preceding him, you'll have to study at a Sacred House learning our traditional language, the history of the Guardians, and other relevant and valuable information that'll be useful in your time spent as Guardian." Her cold eyes suddenly shot up at me. "Just to be clear, there will be **absolutely no complaints.** You're going to partake in these lessons for the next two years. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," I was quick to say.

I felt assaulted by this new information about my life and **my future.** True to her nature, mother never let me get a word in edgewise. Even if I did butt in it would only end in one big argument, something we've been having more often these days. But I had a lot to ask her now that she dumped this info on me. I suppose now was my window of opportunity.

"Mother?" She looked up from her half finished meal. "I know you said not to complain but…where is the Sacred House?"

"Verde City."

Verde? All the way over there? That's about a three hour drive east from here!

"I…I won't have to drop out of school here will I?" I only asked because…well…

"No, you'll only be going there the first three weekends of every month. Leaving on Friday when you return from school and coming back late Sunday evenings. Arrangements with the Masters of the House have already been made so your room will be ready when you get there."

"I see…"

There's so much I want to say to her right now. How I'm pissed that she's dropping all of this on me. How emotionless and tactless she was in forcing me to comply. Yeah, I should be used to it having lived by her rules for so long but…now it's just grating. Especially with…other things happening in my life.

When I finished my dinner, I excused myself from the table taking my plate and glass with me. However, mother stopped me on my way out of the dining room.

"Knuckles. Down in the basement should be a box with your father's belongings from his time as a Guardian. Including three books he used for studying at the Sacred House." I guessed that's what those huge books were. "Also, this should go without saying but **no one** outside of the family must ever know about your Guardian training."

"Yes ma'am." I left dropping off my dishes in the kitchen sink before heading upstairs to my room.

* * *

Once in my room and out of those uncomfortable clothes, I picked up my father's black leather journal from my nightstand and laid on my bed. I figured it was the earliest since the first few sentences of the first entry talked about high school graduation.

_May 16__th_

_I finally decided to start writing in this thing. Dad gave it to me two years ago when I turned sixteen and was finished with my Guardian training. Not really sure what the point was writing about my Guardianship when the Master Emerald is kept in our family vault at the house. Whatever. Better now than never unless I want dad yapping at me on his deathbed seventy years from now. Why do Guardians have to live for so long?_

_I suppose I'll start off with high school graduation. It's been a pretty big deal around here for the last few weeks with mom going practically insane over party preparations for Kal and me. Would've been nice if Anya-su and I were still together. Girls will be girls I suppose. Better for me to focus on this Guardian stuff and my future anyways. Go to college and get a good job like dad wants me to…or do what granddad Athair did and go all hermit and secluded somewhere in the jungle. It's no surprise why he and dad hardly talk when granddad happens to drop by randomly. Personally, I think there's something cool about just going off into the wild and living there like some ancient native or something. You know, throwing away the rules of society. But things between dad and I are already rough as it is and it seems like Kal has no intentions of being a Guardian since he's dead set on being with Liliana, a Desert girl. College it is then. Not the first time I took a hit for Kal. As long as I got his back, I know he's got mine when I need it._

_God, I hope dad doesn't do that arranged marriage crap. Knowing that I'll have to marry a pureblood Knuckles to keep the Guardian lineage clean, I'd rather do the footwork myself_

It was a little surprising to see that this was how my father acted when he was only a few years older than me. What bothered me more, though, was what he wrote about marrying a pureblood as a part of his Guardian duties. Not really sure if that'll go over well with Tiara since were…a couple now.

* * *

_I enjoy the title I gave this arc. "Guardian" ended up taking on more than one interpretation._


	19. Erased

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian_  
**Erased**

_July_  
It's been nerve wracking around here for me since last month. Tikal being taken hostage, Lucas's murder, and a military grade bomb going off and almost killing me…I'm surprised I managed to keep my cool through most of that. At least Silver was only there for the tail end of things. He probably would've been freaking out from the moment Shadow took me and the echidnas hostage. Speaking of them, I haven't seen either Tikal or Knuckles around. Maybe their parents freaked out like much of the town did when news of the murder and explosion was on TV the following morning. Even my parents were concerned over where my whereabouts after they got a call from Tikal's parents about her being taken hostage briefly. I just used the plaza and "my other friends from school" as an explanation and that was the end of that.

The one thing that was bothering me the most about all of this aftermath was the fact that I couldn't get in contact with Silver. Sonic specifically warned the two of us against trying to reach each other because of Silver's parents being G.U.N. agents. Kinda wished he used a less dire sounding reason 'cause that's making me want to talk to Silver even more. I'm just worried they might do something to him…I don't know what but they're in the military so anything's possible! You know, I should go out for a little while to cool myself off…again. Lately, I've been going out and wandering just for the sake of it since I don't have any other close friends aside from Tikal and Knuckles. Usually it's to the plaza, a pretty safe and public place, as opposed to the park which may be nice but it's too secluded in some parts.

On my way to the front door, I called out to mom that I was going out. Dad had left earlier to take the car in for some repairs.

"Alright, just be careful and don't wander off to any strange places," mom said from the hallway with a basket of dirty clothes in her arms.

"I won't."

She's calmed down a little since the Garden Festival last week. Before, she would grill me on everything I was going to do whenever I wanted to leave the apartment. I kinda have a high tolerance for irritating things but mom's constant worrying started to grind me. Thank god our relatives came into town and distracted her with festival preparations.

* * *

When I reached the plaza, it was bustling with the summer crowds of teens and pre-teens along with the usual weekday crowds. I could hear some music coming from the stage setup at the center of the plaza so I decided to head on over to see what kind of show was going on. I guess stuff like this always happens in the summer on this side of town. Along the way, I suddenly ran into Vector, Tiara, and some other high school kids coming out of the arcade.

"Hey! Blaze!" Vector waved to me and looked back at the others. "You guys can go on ahead. I'll catch up."

While the other teens left, Tiara stuck behind and smiled as I approached the two.

"Hey there!" She smiled brightly. "Do you know what Knuckles has been up to lately? I haven't heard from him for a while."

"Sorry. I just assumed it was his stepmother being strict and all over what happened last month," I said.

"Yeah, that was so sad what happened to that boy. I hope his family is doing alright."

I doubt everything is alright for them since Lucas's dad kicked him out of the house months ago. Personally, I think he was a lost cause. Tiara left to catch up with the others leaving me and Vector to talk.

"So how have things been? You haven't been thrown off guard by what's been going on have you?" I said.

"Not really. That kid getting murdered was kinda messed up. But on the bright side it has made the girls a little more needy about some manly company." Vector grinned and puffed up his chest.

"Wow. You're already over breaking up with Rouge that quick?"

He looked down at me blinking widely as if I had said something off.

"No not that much," he said. "I mean, it was weird for her to just leave a note for me in my locker and move away suddenly but…I guess I misjudged her. Thought she'd be a little more considerate."

Huh? What's he talking about? I asked Vector about the trip we took downtown to see Rouge but none it rang any bells for him. I went over the small details like how the place was kinda run down, the argument they had, even when Shadow and Espio came in and attacked. Nothing! Not a thing!

"Haha. I think you're confusing some dream you had for reality Blaze," he said. "Nope, she was there at school one day and then gone the next leaving a note in my locker. It said something about Rouge's brother in Mobotropolis wanting her to live with him so he could give her a job once she graduated."

…You have got to be kidding me! I remember Sonic saying that Rouge was a G.U.N. agent but I didn't think she'd actually go this far with Vector to cover up the mess downtown. I'm sure asking him to keep it a secret would've been just as effective. They seemed so nice together! …No. Wait. It could've been an order from a superior. Oh crap…Silver really is in danger with his parents!

"Hello~? Blaze are ya in there?" Vector's voice, and his hand waving in front of my face, snapped me out of the short trance.

"Ah!" I smiled as hard as I could. "You know I think you're right about that dream thing. I should probably stop watching weird movies at night."

"Ha! Thought so! Well I better catch up with the others at the movie theater. See you around," Vector said as he left.

I had to keep my cool as I left the plaza. Running would just draw attention. So I settled for speed walking out of there as fast as I could. Sonic was right to warn us about G.U.N. and "leaving no stone unturned."

* * *

As I neared my apartment complex, my heart had finally stopped pounding against my chest. My head was also a little more clear and coherent enabling me to think of some ways I could keep tabs on Silver while bypassing the threat of his parents. Just as I rounded the grove of trees near the entrance to the apartment complex, I spotted Silver's parents leaving my apartment building in the distance. Luckily, I was close enough to the grove to dive in quickly and watch the hedgehogs from the safety of the shrubbery. They were dressed casually and got into their tan car which pulled out and drove out of the complex, passing by the grove I was hiding in. Once the car was far enough down the street, I came out and rushed into the apartment building.

When I got into my place, I noticed how eerily quiet it was. Suddenly mom came out of the kitchen and I noticed dad still standing in there scratching the back of his head.

"Oh sweetie, You're home!" mom rushed over and pulled me into a suffocating hug.

"Um mom." I managed to push her off of me. "I think I saw Silver's parents driving away."

I was careful with what I said, speaking slowly so I wouldn't slip up and say something awkward. Mom froze for a second and dad finally came out of the kitchen. They looked at each other briefly before mom asked me, "Did they see you?"

"No, they were driving away from me. I took a shortcut through some houses from the plaza." The last bit came to me quickly.

The relieved sigh and smile mom gave me didn't ease my fears about Silver's parents. She gave me a quick hug and a kiss, told me that she was going to get started on lunch, and I headed off to my room. Just as I reached the door, I looked back over my shoulder to see my parents talking to each other quietly. They stopped and glanced in my direction, with some concern on their faces, and I immediately went into my room. Whatever those hedgehogs discussed with my parents has made them edgy. I better watch my back.


	20. Mighty Coincidence

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian_  
**Mighty Coincidence**

_September_  
For the rest of the summer, I didn't go out too much even though the chances of me running into Silver's parents were slim. I really wanted to see Tikal and Knuckles just to make sure they were okay, but I managed to wait until the new school year.

* * *

Woo…seventh grade. Not much to be too excited about since all thee school sections (elementary, middle, and high) had to attend separate assemblies throughout the first day. It was just a talk from the principals of each section discussing the events that occurred three months ago and warning us against going anywhere alone. Same stuff I heard on TV over the summer. That and news reports of the terrorist, Dr. Robotnik, attacking the southern Mobian continents. Maybe that'll distract G.U.N. from Silver for a little while… Who am I kidding, they're a worldwide organization. I'm sure they have plenty of people set aside to handle Silver, Sonic, and Shadow.

After the middle school assembly later in the morning, it was lunchtime so students headed straight for the cafeteria or stopped by their lockers. I caught up with Tikal in the hallway at her locker. She nearly jumped when I lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Blaze!" It was so nice seeing her smile again.

"Hey Tikal. So how was the summer for you? I mean…besides…you know." I had to correct myself quickly when her expression turned.

She hunched up her shoulders and looked uneasily at the students passing by us before moving in closer towards me.

"After Espio dropped me and Knuckles off near our neighborhood, we went to his stepmother's house," she said in a low voice. "But when we got to her backyard, Knuckles wanted to go back and help you. He told me to go home but…I just stayed there hiding in the trees. I was too afraid of getting taken again."

"Hey, it's fine. I was pretty scared too being stuck with Shadow," I said.

A lie but comforting Tikal was more important than my pride.

"Well, I heard the explosion sometime later and then Knuckles came back. We ran back to my house and went up to my room as if nothing happened. That's when Knuckles made me practice a story to tell the police about the incident. He wanted me to lie Blaze…and I did! I don't want to get into trouble."

Just as she was on the verge of tears, I took Tikal by the shoulder and turned her towoards her locker. While not a good place to have a conversation like this, I didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention.

"Relax Tikal. The lie was all my idea." I said in an equally low voice. "Even Sonic agreed that omitting some facts to the police would be better for us."

"Why?"

"Eh…now's not really the right time or place to discuss that. Maybe after school…at your place? Better yet, ask Knuckles. He was there too when Sonic laid out the situation about Shadow."

"Okay."

Tikal started for the lunchroom and I was about to follow…until I saw something peculiar down the hall in the opposite direction. Even though it was decently crowded, it wasn't hard for me to spot a familiar red echidna…being pulled along by Tiara? They were running across the hall towards the stairwell leading to the high school wing so I was only able to see them for a second. It didn't seem like Knuckles was going with Tiara willingly.

"Blaze?" I heard Tikal say and I looked back at her.

I probably shouldn't worry too much. It's just Tiara, a pretty normal girl by my standards. I just hope she isn't forcing him to do anything embarrassing.

"Yeah?" I caught up with Tikal and we continued on to the lunchroom.

"It's about the officers who interviewed Knuckles and me."

Immediately I stopped and pulled us aside against the lockers.

"It's probably nothing but I thought it was weird that they were both white hedgehogs."

Crap. My mind went blank as the paranoia returned and all I could think about was—

"Are you okay Blaze? You look a little flushed," my friend said while shaking me gently.

Again, I came back to my senses and brushed off the tense moment. Who am I kidding? There's no brushing off knowing that your best friend is under the care of military agents…who now have tabs on your new friends.

* * *

There was no more talk of the murder incident for the rest of the day. In fact, I told Tikal at the end of lunch period that we were going to put that behind us for good. I even managed to run into Knuckles later on and passed the message to him. When I asked about why he was with Tiara earlier, he just blushed and rushed off to class. Sometimes I wish I didn't force myself to be naïve about certain things. When Tikal and I headed outside, after the last bell, to find Knuckles we ended up finding something else. There was a crowd of kids congregating out in front of the steps. Right at that moment, a few teachers came out to disperse the crowd and Tikal and I took our chance to see what all the fuss was about. It didn't take too long to spot the source of attention coming from the only other echidna in our school…and Tiara?

Tikal and I were able to push our way through the fading crowd to the center where Tiara and Knuckles, hand in hand, were surrounded by girls I assumed to be the manx's clique. Oh, and there were a couple of guys hanging around too. The centerpiece couple had their backs to us and even though I tried to get a word in, those gaggling girls kept on cutting me off.

"Ohmygawd. I can't believe you two have been dating since June!"

"Did you, like, hook up on the last day of school?"

"That is sooo romantic getting back together with him!"

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us for so long!"

"I KNOW! Isn't it, like, sooo rude to hide stuff from your friends?"

That last line was from me…and it did feel as awkward as it sounded. All eyes were on me after my little, sarcastic interjection and Knuckles visibly froze up.

"Tikal! Blaze! We were going to tell you guys today," Tiara said as she turned to us.

Tikal returned the friendly greeting while I just smiled idly. After Tiara's clique left (along with the boys), the four of us were able to have a little chat about this development. Uh…make that five. Some armadillo was still lingering around trying to get Knuckles's attention. Us girls remained silent watching the armadillo hang around Knuckles with the curiosity of a TV wildlife expert. He didn't take notice of us staring until he started tugging on the echidna to turn around.

"Oh! Don't mind me. I'm just a classmate of his." The black, red, and yellow armadillo beamed at us. "We were also in the same class last year…come on. Don't be nervous."

Slowly, and shamefully, Knuckles finally turned to face Tikal and I. His cheeks were almost as red as his fur. We couldn't help but giggle at his embarrassment and Tiara, being the good girlfriend she is, came to his side to comfort him.

"Sorry about that Knuckles," I said after getting the last few laughs out of me. "It's just that this was so unexpected. When did you get the courage to ask her?"

"Allow me to explain that," the armadillo said. "It was actually Tiara who approached Knuckles. But she wouldn't have done it were it not for me encouraging her."

I know it's bad manners to make assumptions about people before you know them but I'm feeling uneasy about this kid. Overly friendly, convenient timing with "helping" Knuckles and Tiara get together. I wouldn't be surprised if this kid tried to join our group of friends. He introduced himself as Mighty, a friend of Sonic's but was always too busy to hang out with us.

"I've seen you guys with him from time to time but I always had something on my plate," he said.

…Right. Being friends with Sonic doesn't calm my suspicions. It just flames them up even more. For all we know, Mighty could be with G.U.N. since they're perfectly okay with recruiting a kid like Sonic. When introduction rounds were over, me just saying my name and nothing else, that was pretty much the end of that. We decided to leave for our homes. The fur on the back of my neck stood on end when I noticed Mighty going the same way as me. I glanced back and smiled shortly with him returning the gesture and tried to continue on picking up my pace.

"Blaze was it?" I held back a wince and slowed down out of politeness.

"Yeah." I forced myself to smile when he caught up.

"How about we buddy up and be walking partners since we're heading home the same way?" he said.

Right, like the principal suggested at the assembly. I wasn't open to the idea of letting anyone too friendly see where I lived…but I also don't want to be like Shadow and intentionally give myself a bad reputation.

"Sure. I guess that'll work for us," I said.

…Silence. More importantly, silence where he could be brainstorming up some scheme to get at Silver through me…or my friends. Alright, I can see how my paranoia is getting out of hand but its still within reasonable limits.

"So how long have you been here in Emerald Town?" Mighty asked.

Fishing for information, eh?

"Born and raised," I said. "How about you?"

"I came from Mobotropolis about six years ago to live with my aunt and uncle."

"Oh? And your parents?"

"Heh…dad's out in Knothole. Mom's not around anymore."

Partly broken home? And from the way he sounded, it was probably a rough breakup between his parents. Maybe I'm being a little too wary of Mighty, I mean just met him not even an hour ago. I guess it's a little too senseless to keep someone at a distance when they're being genuine.

"I know this may seem a little inappropriate, but I heard you used to live on the other side of town in the vills," Mighty said suddenly.

"Yeah, that's right." I'm not liking the sudden change in topic.

"So did you know the kid who got killed over there? Again, sorry if it's a little too much for you." Trying to soften the blow with that smile of his.

I suppose I could call it natural curiosity. Even I get curious about rumors and gossip around the school from time to time. But still…better stay on guard.

"I've heard about him but that's about it. Apparently, he was a bully," I said.

"That sucks. I feel even worse for his parents. Especially if he was an only son."

What's with this kid and somber remarks about family? He's not one of those closet goths is he? 'Cause I do know a few at our school despite the fact that everyone has to abide by the uniform code. In any case, I didn't bother asking Mighty about his grim view on family since we were coming up on my apartment complex. All of the sudden, he hung a left at the grove of trees near the complex entrance. We stopped realizing that our paths went separate here.

"Oh? So you live over here?" Mighty asked.

"Yeah. Your place is over there?" I said pointing in the direction behind the apartment complex.

"There's a small neighborhood just beyond these trees. Nothing fancy like where Knuckles lives though."

I see. I should probably study the map of Emerald Town a little more carefully since I had no idea there were houses behind here. Anyway, I said my farewells to Mighty and went towards the apartments until the armadillo called out to me.

"Hey Blaze! How about you and I become walking buddies from now on? I could wait outside your place if you'd like." A generous smile spread across his face.

Ugh! I can't turn down his offer. He's nice, it's a sensible safety precaution, and I can't think of a legit reason on the spot! So I took him up on his offer and, according to him, he'd be waiting for me out here at 7:15 in the morning. Friend or foe, I can't say. But I still won't forget that G.U.N. will do whatever it takes to cover their tracks.

* * *

To think I might get a good night's sleep at this point would still be naïve of me. No matter how hard I tried to push G.U.N. out of my mind, they always seemed to creep back in through unusual visual cues I got throughout the day. Since Mighty was a HUGE visual cue today…I couldn't get the military off my mind. And thus my current predicament. I'm not sure what time it is since I'm facing my window, but I know it's late with no sign of being the least bit tired. I wonder if counting sheep actually works? I decided to close my eyes and give it a try.

…What? I think a light flashed in here. Did someone come in? Mom? Dad? No, the hall light would be on. Okay, stay still. Maybe it's just my imagination…or it could be a G.U.N. agent who was hiding in my room waiting for the perfect moment to kidnap me and take me to a base! I don't know why but I get the feeling this person is getting closer…closer…_chill up my spine!_ …NOW!

Just as I sprang up to catch the intruder, he had his hand over my mouth and quickly moved on top of me. And it wasn't just any guy. It was Shadow! His face wasn't close to mine but I could still make out the right half of his body (his right, not mine) because of the streetlights outside the window. I could also see his eyes piercing into me. No urgency, anger, or any heightened emotion; just his usual creepy stare. He lifted a finger to his lips while keeping his right hand over my mouth. My eyes welded up with tears on their own and I knew why. Shadow was on top of me…and my body was just reacting naturally to the trauma that scarred me. The hedgehog's expression suddenly changed and he became aware of what he was doing. Shadow got off of me quickly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he whispered.

"It's fine," I said matching his tone. "Just give me a second."

I was clutching at my shirt because of my racing heart. My underarms were sweaty. I could even feel my muscles loosening up. To think a harassing that only lasted for a few seconds would have this much impact over a year later…

"Everyone's on edge aren't they?" I heard Shadow asked.

I looked up at him trying to pull together an answer.

"Even you're acting tense…though that behavior came from another incident that wasn't my fault."

I glared at him. Who does he think he is coming back here and breaking into someone's home so boldly?

"Murderer," I said continuing our conversation in whispers.

Shadow was confused.

"You heard me. So what if you killed someone that hurt me and Silver, murder is murder. I don't want you around anymore."

"You're kidding right? Blaze, three months ago you knew I didn't change. You saw right through my frustration and anger and knew that I was still the same."

"No!" I was careful not to raise my voice too loudly. "The Shadow I knew, or at least I thought I knew months ago, wasn't even real. It was just the part of you that was sane and reasonable. When you came back three months ago it wasn't anger taking over you, that was the darker side of your personality. Brash, threatening, and quick to kill even if it's to defend someone. I'm sorry Shadow but I really don't want you around me if that's how you are when you're mad."

It was something unique watching his face go through so many expressions in just a few seconds. Surprised, acceptance, remorse, grievance. As Shadow pulled out the chair from my desk and sat on it, he settled for his default stoic look. His posture was straight with his hands folded neatly in his lap.

"I could say that you were just suffering from your emotional baggage," he said. "…But I have more respect for you than that. In any case, I just came through to see how things are."

A blatant lie. He may have lived in Emerald Town, if only for a year, but he certainly had no fond feelings for it. He chuckled when I crossed my arms.

"Alright, so I lied about that." Shadow paused leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and fiddling with his hands…not like him at all. "I actually came to see how you were doing."

That bothered me a little but I did my best to hide the shock and just huffed out and rolled my eyes.

"Charming," I said. "Well, I'm fine so you can go and get back to doing whatever illegal activities you're getting into."

"I'm actually trying to lay low. Too many eyes on me right now."

Great! So you decide to bring all of that attention to my place? In a town where you set off a bomb? I swear I'm gonna set fire to this kid…

"Judging by the look on your face, I take it you want to burn me right now." The way Shadow said that was too easygoing. "Alright, I'll leave. But I would like to know why you changed your mind so suddenly about me. When I killed that boy, it seemed like our bond was pretty strong."

While I would've liked for him to just teleport out of here without a word, it was an innocent question. One that would be reasonable to answer since I know Shadow likes certain things to be clarified. I thought about it…and it only came back to the obvious.

"Practicality," I said, the anger in me fading. "Honestly, I have no problem with you bringing up my emotional baggage 'cause I'm pretty sure it had me blindfolded after you killed Lucas. But once everything died down I thought back on that day and properly analyzed your actions. You made so many mistakes that it seemed almost unlike you. You drew attention to yourself when you specifically said you never wanted to do something like that. And then Espio mentioned some guy double-crossing you two and Sonic told me about you and Dr. Robotnik breaking into a G.U.N. base… I just added everything up from there and came to the conclusion that you were bitter about whatever happened between you and Robotnik...on top of your obvious hatred of G.U.N."

Shadow looked away as if deciding on how to respond and just stood up.

"You're right. I was bitter. It doesn't change the fact that I still want to kill Silver. But, yeah, I was just having a bad day."

A bad day? If that's a bad day for Shadow I hate to see what an avalanche of trouble does to him. He stood in the center of my room and promised, with bow of his head, to never return to Emerald Town. It's frightening how good his manners are compared to his bad day mindset.

"I'm holding you up to that promise," I said to him pointing a rigid finger. "If you come back, I won't hesitate to brand you with a few burn marks. Maybe even blind you if necessary."

"Guardian of this town are you?" He laughed a little. "I'll keep your threats in mind should I ever find my way back here accidentally."

Shadow vanished in a blue flash and finally, at 2AM, I was starting to feel sleepy. I gave a huge yawn, which I fell back from, and stared up at the white ceiling. Why would a kid as smart as him come back to a place where he's most wanted for murder? Sure, he said he wanted to see if I was okay but…it's just too…stupid of Shadow to do something like that! And how did he know which apartment I lived in? The mailbox at the entrance of our building only has apartment numbers, no names. Ugh! I've been in analyzing mode for the past three months overthinking everything. My brain is starting to tire out. I suppose I could chalk up Shadow's mistake of coming here to the fact that I'm probably his first female friend…and maybe his last unless he finds someone who understands him as much as I do. It's possible that he likes me in _that_ way, but awkward female friend interaction seems more plausible. If he does have a romantic side underneath all of that weirdness, I'll never know about it since I've burned bridges with him.


	21. Silver: Endurance

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian_**  
Silver: Endurance**

_September_  
Today in Phys Ed class our teacher talked to us about how pro-athletes have to train hard so they will have the physical endurance they need to play. I can't help but wonder if someone conveniently told him to give us that lesson today 'cause it felt like he was speaking directly to me. Why? Well, ever since June, life at home has been a bit uneasy. I can never shake off the feeling that my parents have "eyes" watching me even in places I would least expect, like the bathroom mirror. And sometimes at dinner, things seem normal enough with mom and dad talking about their day and whatever news is floating around the neighborhood. But after the meal, I would fall asleep suddenly while watching TV and wake up in the middle of the night in my bed. I don't feel weird or anything when I wake up but…it's just that I rarely get that tired so often. Instincts kept telling me to snoop around the house and look for any suspicious medicine, but I decided to take a cue from Blaze and keep any curious thoughts and actions to myself.

So going back to the endurance thing…I'm pretty sure that convenient lesson was meant to be my "wake-up call" about myself and how I'm going to handle my life from here on out. That one small incident changed things so much that there really is no way for me to go back to being who I was before. Looking back, I could actually see why Blaze thought of me as naïve. There were so many embarrassing things I did. Well, that changes now. My life here in Emerald Town is on the line with my parents keeping a close eye on me (that much I'm sure of). So I have to move on the best way I can and stay close to my friends…and maybe even forget Blaze even though she could be under G.U.N.'s microscope as well. That's going to take A LOT of endurance.

* * *

I was able to meet up with the guys after school. Even Honey joined us having left the cheerleading squad.

"Mom and dad made me quit," she said while holding onto my arm. "They wanted to move out of town to somewhere safe but my sisters and I convinced them that they were overreacting."

"Well that's unfair," I said. "You were really good at it too."

"True which is why they made up for it by letting me take classes at the dance studio."

"Sounds more like they're spoiling you if you ask me," Bean said.

Honey just stuck out her tongue at him. Bark and I didn't really pay much attention since those two are always like that to each other. Nothing serious. It was nice to see my friends weren't terribly affected by Lucas's death so going to school or just getting out of the house was a relief. But I knew this light-hearted feeling wouldn't last as we neared the street where I usually parted from them to walk back to my home. The moment came too soon and Honey letting go of my arm felt like I was floating away from a nice island and drifting out into the dark ocean on a tiny raft. I wanted to go back to them but that would've been too suspicious. So I kept going, their chattering voice fading behind me and the black and white house that was my home slowly crept up. Dad's tan car was in the driveway next to mom's blue car. I guess he was home early from work.

Suddenly, Bean's voice called out to me from behind and I stopped and looked back to see him running towards me.

"What's up?" I asked him.

"Kinda got a few things I wanted to talk to you about…away from the others, y'know." He glanced back at the street corner where Bark and Honey had continued on their way. "So how are things holding up for you at home?"

Since July, Bean has been checking up on me about my home situation since, to him and the others, it was pretty obvious that I was acting different lately. He was kind enough to keep Honey and Bark out of my troubles although, in return, he made it a weekly habit of taking up Blaze's mantel and prying into my life just to make sure I was doing okay.

"Fine as usual…and awkward but nothing to be worried about," I said.

"Really? Dude, we've been friends for a year now. I've seen just about every emotion come out of you and, right now, you are _definitely_ not fine. Something is bugging you and I'm willing to bet that it's your parents. Are they doing more weird spy stuff around the house?"

Ugh, Bean hasn't let go of that even though it was months ago when I told him about the strange conversation between mom and dad.

"Seriously Bean, could you drop it already," I said. "I appreciate the fact that you're concerned for me but…this really isn't something you should get too nosy about."

"Why? 'Cause they're spies?"

"Come on Bean! I mean it!"

"Alright, alright sheesh!" He then reached into the sleeve of his glove and took out a folded piece of paper. "I didn't think my legwork would get me anywhere but my connections managed to get Blaze's address for you. Maybe you could send her a letter the old fashion way."

There it was. The test of my endurance just inches from me in Bean's hand. Reaching out and taking it was so easy. But resisting the urge to read the address was where the real challenge would be. My hand raised, ready to accept the paper, but stopped and hovered a bit before falling back to my side. As expected, my friend was confused.

"What's the matter? Cold feet? You've been dying to find out where she's moved to right? So take it."

He shoved the paper towards me but I gently pushed Bean's hand away.

"Thanks but I don't need it anymore. I saw Blaze this past summer." I felt a little ashamed admitting that even though I had no reason to be ashamed.

"Cool! So what happened?"

"Um…we're not talking to each other anymore. It's complicated." Literally, I barely remember any of the stuff Sonic told me about us, Shadow, and G.U.N. though I'm sure it wasn't much. I'm not exactly good on remembering long explanations.

"Oh. Sorry to hear that man." Bean looked at the paper, a little disappointed that all of his hard work was for nothing. "I guess I'll keep this just in case."

"Could you do me a favor and make sure that no one else finds it?" I said quickly.

"Uh yeah. No prob." For a moment, he paused not sure what to do. "Hey, are you sure you'll be fine? It's not exactly cool to leave us out of the loop. You know that I always got your back and so does Honey and Bark."

"Thanks. And, yeah, I'll be fine." I know that won't be enough to keep Bean out of my business. Better cover up with something believable. "It's just that without Blaze around, it's a little hard for me to do certain things. But I'm getting used to it. So don't worry."

"Ah. Well, peace out man. See you tomorrow," Bean said and he left heading back the way he came.

I don't know if he believed a word of it. I doubt it since Bean is probably as sharp as Blaze despite his slightly big ego. Either way, if it was enough to keep him from prying into my life, then I did what I needed to do.

When I got into the house, dad was busy on the phone in the dining room (probably talking to someone at work from what I picked up) and mom was down in the den folding up bath towels while watching TV. Not a single word from mom as I passed by the stairs leading to the den. By the time dad got off the phone, I was already halfway up the stairs to the second floor.

"How was school son?" I heard him ask.

I looked back and dad was standing in the kitchen entrance looking through the mail nonchalantly.

"It was fine," I said and went to my room.

Yep, cold like always. If anything, this atmosphere did motivate me to start on my homework earlier than I used to.

About half and hour later I realized how quiet it was outside the closed door of my room. So I walked out and neither mom nor dad was in their room across the hall from mine…or in the guest room next door to mine. Not in the den, the living room, the kitchen, the dining room…I stopped in the middle of the kitchen and could see the top of their heads through the window over the sink. It was dark but the back porch light was on so I could see my parents talking in the backyard. I decided to keep the kitchen light turned off just as a precaution. From the looks of their body language, I doubt what they were talking about was personal or romantic…maybe it's about me? Every muscle in my body tingled at the thought. So much that I couldn't bear watching them stand there with their backs towards me and rushed upstairs to the bathroom.

I closed the door, turned on the faucet full blast, and splashed water on my face. One look in the mirror and I couldn't stand the face looking back at me. It wasn't strong at all. It didn't look like someone who could endure things; just some whimpy little kid scared to even go home. All I could do was cringe and grasped the marble counter top of the sink, holding back the tears I wanted to cry. I can't trust my parents knowing they're the opposing force. I can't confide in my friends, not even Bean who already knows about my powers, because of fears that something could happen to them. I can't even find some way to reach Blaze and have her support me like she would at a time like this. It's just…me…alone.

I turned off the faucet and wiped my face on the towel rack behind me next to the door. When I came out, dad was walking by and stopped to smile at me.

"Hey, we're going out for dinner this weekend. Any place you want to go?" he said.

I almost froze up upon seeing that smile on his face.

"Um, not really." Luckily I kept my cool.

"Alright then. If you change your mind, just let me know."

Dad was just about to go into his and mom's bedroom but I stopped him at the door. He looked back, his ears perked up. I had no idea why I stopped him. That could've been the end of it and I could be back in my room now. However, the silence went on for too long and dad took notice to it.

"You know," he started causing me to jump a little. "I was looking out the living room window earlier and saw you and Bean talking to each other."

"Oh! That?" I said.

I stumbled a bit trying to figure out how to explain that. I'm pretty sure my face was turning red too since I felt a little hot. But then I heard dad laugh and he patted me on the head playfully…something he did a lot that usually made me feel better after I made a mistake.

"Was it about your little girlfriend?"

I never told mom or dad about Honey. That information got leaked out through neighborhood gossip during the Garden Festival a few months back. I guess it was inevitable. It was also a good cover up story so I went along with it.

"Uh yeah…" I even threw in my shy look to seal the deal.

"I thought so. Just a small piece of advice for you; girls can be a little demanding but don't let that get to you. Doing the small things will be enough to keep them happy," dad said.

"I see. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks dad."

After that, I went back to my room and closed the door behind me. …I still wanted to cry. My own dad, someone who I looked up to because of his calm and friendly personality, was my enemy. And mom, who's strict but still very loving, was also my enemy. Running away would only cause trouble and I have no one to go to besides my friends. Even if there was someone out there who could help me, like Sonic, they wouldn't be able to do much to protect me. My parents work for G.U.N., a worldwide military organization. They could come up with whatever excuse they needed to take me back to their base. I don't think things have ever been this dark in my life. Yeah, I'm only eleven-years-old but still…this is _too much for me!_

…What would Blaze do? What would she say? _Things will be fine from now on._ That's what she said to me. But, honestly, it's too hard to believe knowing that some high-ranked G.U.N. authority is the one making decisions about my life and not my parents. They're just grunts following orders. Trained to act like loving ordinary parents when they're really trained agents keeping an eye on me. I should've insisted on going with Sonic before he left town…but I probably would've slowed him down and made us easier targets. So what should I do? _What would Blaze do?_

…Well, I know what she _wouldn't_ be doing. She wouldn't be sitting here worrying so much. She'd finish her homework, watch TV, and go to bed like nothing was wrong. She'd probably _be_ worried…but _wouldn't_ show it! She would resist the urge to show her fears in order to stay on top of a situation. Yeah! That's what Blaze would do! So maybe that's the endurance training I need. The training to resist reacting on my emotions and stay calm. Alright! That's what I'll do then. I'll work on being more calm and collected like Blaze. That way I'll help keep my friends safe and my parents from getting too suspicious about me.

I just hope they stop rigging the food around here with whatever sleeping medicine they've been putting in.


	22. Knuckles: Locke and Lara le

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Knuckles: Locke and Lara-Le**

_October  
_I'm pretty set in my routine of leaving town for three weekends of each month. It was a little rough at first, enduring the three hour drive to Verde City and the 5AM wake up time at the Sacred House. But after a few months, I've found a balance. The chores I do, the books upon books I've studied from, and the meditation training…it's all for the sake of becoming the next Guardian of the Master Emerald. The downside of having to learn so much on top of my regular school work is outweighed by the upside of having a little more freedom at home. Mother allows me to stay out longer with my friends after school, so I have a little more time to be with Tiara. But she still doesn't know about Tiara and me dating so I continue to walk a fine line.

Given that today is Friday, our time together is limited so I'm making the most of it by going with Tiara and her friends to the plaza. Not exactly smart since it's always crowded here after school but I know that mother goes straight home after work. Tiara was busy with her friends inside of one of the many clothing stores leaving me to wait outside on the bench. Mighty was also with us because…um…well I'm not really sure.

"I think Blaze has had enough of me for now," he said when I asked. "She seems to be getting a little irritable whenever I'm around her. Can't imagine why either. I've been pretty nice to her since the first day of school. Opened doors for her, kept her company on the walk home, even offered to do homework with her. Not really sure why she's so wary of me."

I can think of about ten thousand reasons…

"She's not like a lot of others Mighty," I said. "Blaze doesn't open up so easily at first so give her some time. She'll come around eventually."

"Fair enough. Soo…how are things between you and Tiara?"

"Great. She's awesome and all but I don't understand why she forces herself to be a different person in front of her friends."

"What's that you say?"

I turned to look back in through the store windows and Tiara and her clique were busy chatting away while rummaging through a clothes rack. She looked up briefly and waved at Mighty and I.

"Well the way she's acting," I said as we turned back towards the crowds outside mingling about. "It's not the real Tiara. She's more laid back and doesn't wear a lot of make-up. In fact she's pretty tom-boyish…and it's kinda hot."

Verbally, I wouldn't speak about a girl that way but Tiara is pretty damn attractive. Just then, Mighty stood up and gave a pompous bow towards me like some medieval knight.

"Your welcome," he said and I scoffed rolling my eyes.

"Right, thanks." Obviously he's referring to being the reason why I'm dating her.

"So going back to that bit about Tiara acting different." Mighty sat back down on the bench. "You do know that her parents are pretty well known throughout the school, right?"

"Yeah. Her mom is head of the PTA Committee and her dad was one of the big donators to the school auditorium building project."

Six years ago, the school finally finished building its new auditorium that's separate from the main building. It was a pretty big deal with news cameras and the school closing just for the opening ceremony.

"It still seems weird that Tiara would go out of her way to 'fit in' just because of her parents' reputation," I said. "You've talked with her, right? She's _way_ too smart to just act like a giddy teenager at school."

"And thus is the reason you'll always be a social outcast," Mighty said with a sigh. "Tiara doesn't act that way because she wants to. It's necessary because it's a part of the social structure. She's high profile in this town so she's gotta live up to the expectations and be relatable to those whose status is similar to hers."

From there Mighty went into a little lecture on teen social structure and the influence it gets from the structure of mainstream society in general. Image is everything. Maintain a balanced life of charity and indulgence. Dress like a money maker. Be humble and soft spoken yet "rebel" against the conservative norms of society in a whimsical way.

"You see, society has always worn two faces; the wealthy and influential determine the flow of a generation and our desire to support and love one another. The conflict between those two opposing lifestyles creates a moral vacuum where we wish to help those in need but refuse to give up the luxuries we've worked so hard to earn. Therefore, those without wealth who are unable to gain wealth will stay poor. While those who have obtained and capitalized on a perpetual type of wealth, and are willing to adapt to the change of technology, will always remain wealthy…unless a bigger company buys them out. Haha."

The silence that followed was a little awkward and slowly the embarrassment grew on the armadillo's face.

"You watch a lot of public television, don't you?" I said.

"Well I don't have cable at my place and that's one of the few channels that isn't all 'snowy' or jumbled," he said scratching his head.

A few seconds later the girls exited out of the store, their arms full of bags, and Mighty and I joined them. However, I glanced down at my watch and realized that I had to leave soon so I pulled Tiara aside for a quick word.

"Omigod, I totally forgot about the party Lucille is having on Halloween," Tiara said as if she just narrowly passed a test. "I swear she was going to flip when she asked me and I almost admitted that I forgot about it. So do you want to come?"

"Um, I'll let you know later. It's actually time for me to…"

"Oh! Right, your weekend thing."

Tiara took a second to say goodbye to her friends, promising to get in touch with them about the party later, and we left. Needless to say, Mighty gave me a thumbs up as if we were heading off to do…you know, "adult stuff." I have more respect for my girlfriend and despite her being a year older than me, we agreed on having an equal and honest relationship.

Once we were far enough from the plaza, Tiara gathered her shopping bags into one hand and used her free hand to grab onto mine. Even though we always held hands like this, I always got a little hot under the collar. And so our walk continued on in pleasant silence, watching the cars pass in the afternoon light. Suddenly Tiara spoke bringing up a topic I knew she would sooner or later.

"I know you said that these trips out of town were for extra lessons but what kind of lessons are they?" She spoke so casually swinging her bags back and forth.

Suddenly, it almost felt like summer again. Mother was very strict about not disclosing any information about what I was doing and so far I've been pretty good at it. Ok, I think Tiara is starting to notice my hesitation. Better give her an answer.

"It's…it's just boring extra curricular stuff mother signed me up for. She thinks the stuff I can learn at some elite school there will give me a leg up on getting into college."

Good cover and it seems Tiara bought it. I guess the whole 'honest' part of our relationship is a little unrealistic at this point considering my future.

"Ah. Well my parents are the same. Always going on about getting me into some ivory league school."

A conflict between two lifestyles… Why is Mighty so good at getting on a soapbox about his beliefs? Now all I can think about is what's going to happen when I have to break it off with Tiara.

A short while later, we had to part our ways. Her neighborhood, a development of upscale townhouses, was closer to the shopping plaza than mine. She gave me a peck on my cheek and walked off down the entrance to the townhouse development while I continued on my way home. About ten minutes later, I spotted mother's car in the driveway from down the street. To avoid her nagging me, I decided to pick up the pace and hurried inside and up to my room. Luckily she was busy with dinner. Right on time, at 6PM, my escorts arrived to take me to Verde City. It was always the same two guys; red, Knuckles Clan, echidnas in suits. I've long since glossed over the fact that they're supposed inconspicuous efforts were quite the opposite. I'm sure a few nosy neighbors are used to seeing them from being their tawdry curtains. Not to mention that Guardian training is something that's kept secretly among us Echidnas to begin with. When I came down the stairs one of them took my luggage, a small suitcase and overnight bag. My backpack stayed with me.

"Be safe. Don't forget to make a full report of your studies to bring home," said mother.

"Yes ma'am," I said but for some reason, she stopped me from leaving.

Mother leaned over looking into my eyes and I was a little unnerved by it.

"…You're not dating anyone are you?" she finally said.

"No ma'am."

"…Good. Now go," and I was allowed to leave with the two echidnas.

The black sedan hadn't even reached the end of the street when I reached into my backpack and pulled out father's first journal. I haven't been reading it too often but I've gotten to the point where father is in his second year at Mobotropolis University.

_November 16__th_

_Life here at the M.U. is still as sexy as the first day I set foot on campus. Got another care package from mom. Nothing from dad, no surprise. But at least I'll have something nice to share with my study group of ladies. Speaking of my study group, there's one girl who I swear is out for my blood. She's an echidna like me, a pureblood Knuckles, and she has a tendency to get…snippy with me. I don't know if she's one of those feminists chicks I always see on campus or just a stuck up, prep school girl like the ones I went to school with but she is doing a good job pissing me off. A little too good if you ask me…almost as if she was flirting with me. If she is, then this won't be the first time a lady has taken me on. I welcome all sexy candidates into my circle. But if this Lara-Le's intellect challenge is her way of playing "the game," then all I have to say is bring it on._

_November 29__th_

_I've considered going home for the upcoming holiday season but…I'd rather not come back to Mobotropolis on a bad note. And the trip across country is pretty long. All that aside, this past weekend I decided to catch up on my studies. Not too surprising since being a head honcho on campus is a lot of work. So I found myself a quiet corner in the library and settled down hoping to get a few hours of work done. …And then __**she**__ had to show up. Miss know-it-all Lara-Le. Were it any other girl, I wouldn't mind the extra company (maybe even slipped in a little flirting to ease the mood) but her? I wasn't really up for an intellectual standoff but mom raised Kal and me to be gentlemen so I didn't pay her too much attention._

_My plan didn't go so well as it turns out that we have advance history together. Not that I'm bad with the subject but the public's perspective on Echidna history is so misconstrued and riddled with errors that it's practically laughable. Even echidnas who have gone public attempting to right the wrongs are still flaky on the facts and feed the public humoring information that's more entertaining than it is informative. But on the other hand, having spent years studying at a Sacred House, I've come to realize why they do that. The history of our race is fairly bloody and barbaric. Thank god we invented a language that's near impossible to translate._

_Sooo social commentary aside…Lara-Le made an off-handed remark about public perception of Echidna history and ten minutes later I found myself engrossed in discussion with her over our race's bipolar feelings of joining modern society. The odd thing about it was when I realized how much I enjoyed this intelligent conversation with her and wanted to keep it going. I had no feelings of teasing her with slight insults and petty banter. And I think she felt the same as well. Before we knew it, the sun had set and she got a call on her cell from a friend about dinner. I was tempted to convince her to skip out on it but I didn't get much studying done so I, too, had my own priorities._

_All in all, Lara-Le isn't such a bad girl after all. So what's with the elitist attitude?_

At this point, I was used to dad's crass (almost sexist) attitude and the distant feelings he had for grandfather Sabre. But after reading about his first encounter with my birth mother, I can already anticipate the change that'll occur in his later journal entries. It also got me thinking about my relationship. If being with Tiara is going to change me as well. Since it's already started off with me hiding the truth about my weekend trips out of town, I can't help but wonder if I should start thinking about what I would want in a pureblood Knuckles girl. You know, in anticipation of our eventual break up. But that would be too disrespectful towards Tiara. So far, she's done nothing to deserve that kind of treatment. And I'm only thinking this way due to fear of mother's wrath were she to find out.


	23. Winter Sorrows

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Winter Sorrows**

_December  
_I was never too bothered when the familiar chill of winter came in every year. Other kids at school would complain but I, being a little more tolerable of most things, never said anything against it. In fact, I found it to be a nice thing as it usually meant that kids would spend less time outside making the streets a little quieter on the weekends. As for the school year? It's been going well. Grades are good, friends are still fun…and, surprisingly, I'm starting to warm up to Mighty. That is to say I haven't gone and invited him to hang out with me and my friends. I've just gotten used to walking to and from school with him. I know a lot about him now but he's still a bit murky on the smaller details of my life. It's interesting seeing him visibly frustrated by my social habits.

Once again, the sun rose on another peaceful Saturday so I took full advantage of the chilled calm and headed outside. Out in front of our building I passed by our babysitting neighbor and the three kids she was watching after. My eyes met hers and we smiled. Walking through the parking lot, towards the apartment complex entrance, was Mighty who didn't notice me. I was in a fairly open mood today and wanted some immediate company so I called out to him and caught up.

"Oh, hi Blaze." He was a little lackluster with his greeting. Is he sick or something?

"No, I'm fine," he said when I asked. "Actually, I was just heading over to the chapel."

He didn't strike me as a religious person but I do know that the chapel a few blocks from here does have a small graveyard behind it. Paying respects to a friend? A distant relative?

"Someone you know buried there?" I decided to say.

"No not at all." He chuckled as he said this…but it felt a little pathetic. "It's just…something I do every year. Feels weird if I don't do it around this time of year."

"Huh? Do you have volunteer work you do over there?"

"Nothing like that either. It's….it'll be easier to explain once we get there."

I could imagine Mighty being a little serious, even frustrated. But now? He looks lost in his thoughts. It's kinda weird seeing him this distracted. After a short, silent walk we reached the small, white chapel. We never passed through the small, iron fence surrounding the building and graveyard. Instead, Mighty bowed his head, clasped his hands, and closed his eyes in prayer. My family never practiced any particular religion but I was smart enough to observe other's beliefs and stay out of them while they did whatever they needed to do. A few seconds later Mighty opened his eyes and sighed heavily leaving me to wonder what was on his mind.

"A lot of stuff," he said after I asked. "My mom and my siblings are buried back in Mobotropolis."

What? At first, I was sure I misheard him but my brain played back the last few seconds and those words did come out of his mouth.

"It was six years ago, around this time of year, when my family got into a car accident in the mountains just north of Mobotropolis. I remember the road being really narrow because of the snow and all you could see out the windows was the storm blowing about in every direction."

I'm not sure if there was something wrong with me or not but any words that any normal person would've had to say at that moment just left me. Apparently my conscious was content with listening quietly.

"Dad was a little worried about heading up to the resort as we've done a few times for the holidays before but mom was having a stressful time at work and really wanted to get away. It would be the twins first visit there, them being two-years-old at the time. So we went despite the bad weather forecasts. Dad was careful driving up the mountain. I never liked it though, especially one part where there was a steep drop down the mountainside into the forest. Anyway, as far as I knew we were doing okay and even made it past that steep drop area. Towards the end of the mountain road, though, we were coming around a tight corner and a truck in the oncoming lane almost hit us forcing us off the road." For a moment, he stopped to take in a few breaths. "The hill we were driving next to was pretty steep…and I remember mom and dad screaming…and the car suddenly flipped as it skidded off the road. I remember going through two of the flips and the sound of broken glass flying about me…but that's it."

Mighty stopped again, this time to rub a hand across his face and leaned back against the iron fence. He didn't have to keep going. In fact, I felt the urge to stop him right there but he held up a hand the second I tried to move close to him.

"I woke up in a hospital bed in Mobotropolis. One of my legs was broken and the doctor said that I got a concussion from the accident. Mom and dad were in surgery…and the twins…were dead. Hypothermia, according to the doctor. They had injuries and probably survived the initial crash but grew weak in the time it took for rescue vehicles to reach us. Even after my parents got out of surgery, I couldn't see them since they were being kept in the ICU. So I had no choice but to wait…and wait…for days. Everyone was nice to me…and then they got even nicer suddenly on one day. When they moved me into a room with my dad, I assumed that was the reason why. That they were happy I could be reunited with one of my parents. But then dad told me that mom didn't make it. She got worse all of the sudden just a few days after the surgery…and then she was gone a short while later when they took her in for another operation."

When his lip began to tremble I casually moved closer and just leaned on Mighty…kinda like a good friend supporting a buddy of his. I don't know if he appreciated it but it helped me out since I started to feel a little chilly despite wearing a sweater and an overcoat. He still cried, immediately wiping the tears from his eyes as soon as they appeared.

"Everything's just been so difficult since then." His voice cracked as he spoke. "Only one of dad's friends in Mobotropolis offered to help but could only take one of us in so I stayed in the city while dad moved to Knothole where most of our relatives lives. I was in a wheelchair for months and just had this feeling that I was more of a bother to the family since I didn't know them too well. Going to school was miserable since kids stared or whispered behind my back. Even the few who did help me didn't make much of a difference. I just wanted to die! Feeling useless and out of place was worse that being alone!"

I had no choice but to back off at that moment. Mighty lashed out kicking at the pavement and then spun about and rammed his foot into the base of the fence. I coaxed him to relax and just leave it but I had doubts he was even paying attention to me.

"And you know what's even more messed up? I actually made a plan to just let my chair roll out into a busy street. Figured out the right intersection to do it and the right time…but gave up at the last minute."

"Mighty I…"

…Had no clue what to say. How _do_ you respond to a suicide attempt? "Well at least you didn't go through with it?" That's just stupid!

"I know how stupid I was acting since it didn't take too long for my leg to heal but…I was only seven…and there I was in a wheelchair and without parents or anyone I was close to."

I started having flashbacks to the few months I spent with bandages around my arms from the house fire back in the old neighborhood. I could see where Mighty was coming from about all the stares and whispers…

"As soon as I got better, I called my dad and told him that I wanted to leave and come live with him. But his sister had a full house already with him and all of my cousins. So my aunt and uncle on my mom's side agreed to take me in…and that's how I ended up here in Emerald Town."

Sounded like a happy ending to me. He's with family, well known and liked at school, and (as much as it bothers me sometimes) he's a pretty reliable guy. I was pretty much ready for Mighty to look up at me with that sunshine smile of his and suggest going to the plaza for some pizza or whatever…but, apparently, that was a little too hopeful of me. Mighty lifted his eyes to the sky almost as if he was searching for something to pull him out of his memory induced rut. I just leaned back against the fence again and crossed my arms, waiting for whatever inner feelings he was about to spill. Sometimes I wonder how I manage to be conveniently in the right place at the right time to hear someone divulge their dark or messed up secrets.

"What motivates you to wake up every morning and leave the house?" he said and my ears perked up as I snapped to attention.

"Me? Um…the sun? Being hungry? …Come to think of it, I tend to use the bathroom as soon as I get out of bed. So once that morning ritual is done I'm, more or less, wide awake at that point."

He laughed and I hoped that he was heading somewhere lighter with the conversation.

"That's pretty logical of you. Just as I suspected." He went right back into his contemplative stance of leaning against the fence with his hands in his pockets. "As for me…finding a reason to live gets me out of the house. I mean literally going out and searching for something that I'm capable of doing for that day."

Oh dear…it's right back to that again.

"I think it was a year ago when I realized how desperate I was with doing extracurricular stuff at school. When I thought about it, I felt pretty stupid for not realizing the catalyst for that addiction; my uncle finding out he has cancer."

Before Mighty had a chance to gush out or lash out in self-pity, I stepped in to voice his feelings.

"So you started feeling useless again and use all of your extracurricular activities to avoid any suicidal thoughts." My voice was fairly flat when I spoke but Mighty's emotions were already as low as they could get…I assumed.

"Yeah, that's about right," he said.

"But it's a medical condition. _No one_ can do anything about it. I mean, there's treatment methods for it but no cure last time I checked."

"And you think that's gonna change my mind? Accepting my inability to fight against something?"

"…No. You're definitely a fighter."

He started to leave for home but I couldn't just let him go that easily. Not without giving him some light of hope.

"But letting some things go can be another way to fight against that feeling of helplessness."

…He paused. Didn't look back or turn his head slightly. ...Then he kept going. It's quite possible that my own personal trauma might not be as bad compared to what others are going through. Shadow and whatever messed up past he's lived through, Knuckles living with his stepmother, and now Mighty fighting off suicide everyday. I could stick my nose up and say that my trauma was still far much worse, especially since I'm a girl. But I was saved from that pain when my parents made the decision to move to this side of town…and when Shadow killed Lucas. Not completely saved though, I still have flashbacks at awkward moments. But I don't have constant reminders so often now and, though it'll take some time, I can grow stronger and learn how to properly face those memories so I won't be afraid of talking about the day I lost my innocence.

Not wanting to trail Mighty on my way home, I waited for him to disappear around the corner. But I only took a few steps before a cringing familiar voice spoke behind me.

"So how much of that do you actually think is true?"

I turned, carefully, towards Shadow with narrowed eyes and a clinched fist ready to ignite a small flame in my hand. He stood a few feet away leaning against the fence with his arms crossed and head tilted waiting for an answer.

"If you got something to say then out with it while I figure out what to do to you," I said as I unclenched my hand and ignited a small flame in my palm.

When I said that I would burn him if he ever came back, I was dead serious about it. He's got no business coming here.

"Hmph. At least I can trust you with being honest," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I wouldn't mind fighting you but I have a policy against unnecessary quarrels with friends."

Grr! I swear if this kid doesn't leave…

"So as I was saying…how much of that do you think is true?"

Truthfully, I shouldn't hold back. In fact, I didn't want to hold back but…I didn't want to start a commotion either. Even if we're on an empty street in a relatively empty part of the burbs. I know better than to let someone indirectly push me around but Shadow has a way with words…and a dark charisma about him that can draw in anyone who is remotely compassionate towards him. He's a master manipulator in the making. With Espio being his first success. The flame was snuffed out when I clenched my left hand again but then released it along with my anger.

"All of it. I don't have a reason to _not_ believe what Mighty told me," I said. "He's a pretty open and honest person."

"He's the last kind of person you need hanging around you," said Shadow.

"Who made you the authority on the type of friends I can have?"

"No one, obviously, but an emotionally spineless, walking shell of self-pity shouldn't be following you around. I saved you from falling into that pit of despair and I'll be damned if he drags you back—"

…A swift slap across his arrogant face shut his mouth promptly. Not only does no one push me around, no one talks trash about my friends behind their backs, and it's my_ policy_ to shove off anyone who thinks they can wrap me around their finger. Shadow only rubbed his face while muttering incoherent words. Then he stepped away and avoided eye contact with me, obvious discomfort chiseled onto his face.

"_You_ saved _me_? Maybe in your arrogant mind but all I remember you doing is killing the kid who instigated my harassment." He still did nothing but firmly kept his gaze elsewhere. "What _did_ save me was my parents deciding to move to this side of town. I was able to start fresh without a horrible reputation and gained friends who helped me see that I had a full life to look forward to despite all the trouble you caused. I slip back into those memories sometimes but what always pulls me out of them is just going outside and realizing that I'm not back there anymore!"

Still, he said nothing but he did sigh heavily as if he was trying to hold back a wave of anger.

"…Don't hit me…**ever**."

"If you had just stayed away instead of coming back and acting like an arrogant jerk it wouldn't have happened," I said and Shadow immediately grabbed my right arm, yanked me to him, and tightened his grip.

I honestly thought I could feel my bones of the verge of breaking as he stared me down with his crimson eyes. But he did something a little strange and yet comforting: he took his right hand, cupped my cheek, and moved his thumb slowly across as if he was wiping away something. I cringed only because of the pain in my right arm. I'm right handed so fighting back against someone as strong as him wasn't in my favor.

"Just like that," he said.

I didn't understand it at first…but then I thought back to the incident this past summer.

"Just like that, I stopped you from falling deeper into that pit," he said. "I'll admit my previous statement was a bit arrogant, but there's no way in hell you can't say that I didn't have an influence on you. If you recall carefully, _I_ planted the seed of empowerment in you when I told you to 'learn how to pick yourself up and keep going' once you chose a path to take."

"I can use the pain to better myself or let it eat me alive…" I finished for him remembering that unusually personal conversation with Shadow from almost a year ago.

"Exactly. And from what I've seen, it seems like you did just that. Took the fear and pain from the incident I caused and utilized it…though not in a way that I entirely approve."

So I should be thankful for him and follow his every whim because of that? I would've taken the high road either way even if I hadn't spoken with Shadow. It was at this point that the pain was becoming a little too much and I muttered it to him. He caught himself and released me muttering his own apology while I rubbed my forearm.

"Regardless of your messiah complex, I still think you need to leave and quit coming around here. You really don't have any business wandering around town when you're a hot issue for the local police."

"My reputation is the least of my troubles when you're out potentially destroying your future," he said as he walked past me. "Someone has to be there to protect you from being brought down by the weaklings. Someone who knows you very well. Someone like me." He turned and placed a hand on my forehead like a big brother of sorts. It felt weird. "Protecting you is my priority right now…at least until this 'terrorist' atmosphere dies down around me."

Shadow leaped back quickly to dodge the swipe I took at him with flamed hands. The anger I felt was a bit different than what I had been feeling up until recently. It wasn't the frustrated anger that made me feel helpless against my fears. It was more…selfish. Like I just wanted him to leave me be and let me do things my own way. Very similar to what I felt whenever mom or dad prevented me from doing something. I just wanted room to breathe.

"I don't _need_ your protection! I don't _want_ it! Just get out of here before you cause _another_ incident!" I said.

…He laughed it off. Shadow had the nerve to laugh it off. He mouthed something to me. "You need me" or similar words along those lines. In a flash of blue light, he was gone…probably to someplace nearby so he could watch me walk away frustrated like some puppet master. But I wasn't going to give him the pleasure. I left the small chapel showing as little emotion as possible. An exercise since I was boiling over with discomfort on the inside.

* * *

_Had nothing to say about the last chapter. Just following the outline for that particular side story. However, this one was quite enjoyable to write. It's a wonder how I take pleasure in creating sorrow and frustration. Also, talking to people who've dealt with suicide (either directly or indirectly) is always uncomfortable and comes with mounds of feelings of helplessness. I would know... There's never a "right" thing to say._


	24. Silver: Benefit of the Doubt

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Silver: Benefit of the Doubt**

_January  
_I miss Blaze. I miss her so much. Seeing her this past summer…during all that trouble…just made me worry about her even more despite her telling me not to worry. But I have my own troubles to deal with. My relationship with Honey…and my parents. Or to be exact, the G.U.N. agents masquerading as my parents. Over the past few months, I'm more than sure that my parents have been drugging me with…something. I don't know what but I've continued to fall asleep suddenly after meals a few times. They're probably not experimenting on me since I've always woken up feeling fine but…I can't stay silent about it anymore.

Just like last year, my friends and I have been spending quite a bit of our free time at the café in the marketplace. Especially on the weekends when it gets a little crowded with kids from the neighborhood. However, we made the decision to leave a little earlier than usual so we made it out just before the weekend rush. With nothing much to do outside (it's friggin' cold), we all went home. …Well except for me. I decided to head on over to Bean's place and check out his new game system he got over the holiday. As far as my "parents" were concerned I just told them I'd be out with my friends all day. I'm sure they have no reason to suspect them of anything.

"So how have things been going for you guys? For me, everything's been great!" Honey got started rambling on about her life. She's been doing that a lot lately since she's getting compliments at her dance lessons and is still hanging out with her friends despite not being on the cheerleading squad anymore. "My dance instructor says that I have a natural born talent and is looking at entering me in the local competition downtown and maybe even a regional competition once I've learned all the basic moves and improve my technique. A year and I should be ready she says. On top of that, Stacey and the girls are in talks about a Spring Break vacation! Probably some nice resort down south."

Us guys didn't really show any enthusiasm though I'm pretty sure me and Bark were genuinely interested. It's just that, at this point, we were growing tired of hearing about how great Honey is in her dance lessons and all the stuff she does with her friends. First it was to Mobotropolis to watch them compete in a cheerleading competition. Then it was north to a ski resort during the holiday break. Now it's off to a resort down south. Probably a beach resort. I just hope Bean doesn't lose it. It seems like he and Honey are in a competition right now for who has the most spoiled lifestyle.

"Sorry Silver Sweetie," my weird nickname. "I'd take you along but this is a 'girls only getaway'…with the exception of Stacey's dad who's paying for everything."

"It's alright," I said. "Just have fun with your friends. Maybe bring back some pictures to share with us?"

"DUDE NO!" Bean suddenly shouted.

"That's a _great_ idea!" Honey stopped and clasped her hands together. "Don't you think so _Bean_?"

For a moment, I thought he was going to punch me or something. I don't think I've ever seen Bean's face get _that_ red before. But he didn't and just breathed it all out in some zen moment.

"Yeah, that sounds just awesome _Honey_," he said.

I get that this "competition" is friendly and they're not really fighting. But, somehow, I feel that _they_ would make a better couple than Honey and me. Maybe I should step in and get Bean off her case…

"But you know what sounds even better?" he said shoving me aside easily though Bark was quick to catch me. "My _brand new_ flat screen TV and a surround sound system that'll knock your socks off! My parents are gonna get it for me when I walk onto the mound the first game this spring and strike out every single pitcher on the other team."

"Oh? So _that's_ how high you're aiming this year? Didn't think that was possible," Honey said as we started walking again.

"Baby, nothing's impossible…with the power of Beanitude," he said putting on his sunglasses…on a friggin cloudy day!

That's it! I **had** to intervene.

"Listen you two! That's enough!" I said while gently pushing my way in between them stopping us all in our tracks. "Honey! I'm happy that you're going somewhere nice for Spring Break and hope you have a **great** time! …And bring back pictures for **me**!" The last bit I added on quickly just before facing Bean. "Bean! I'll admit, you're a great baseball player but stop thinking of yourself as a god! Stop wearing sunglasses when you don't need to! **And stop talking about the power of Beanitude!** It sounded dumb when you first made it up last year and it _still_ sounds dumb now! …And stop getting your parents to buy you so much stuff! I'm practically living at your place these days! …And-stop-calling-my-girlfriend-baby!"

There was an uneasy silence…and I mean a _really_ uneasy silence. Not even a bird was singing…then again they usually don't sing in the middle of winter. Luckily, Bark was there to save me from embarrassment (again) with some words of wisdom.

"Quoted for truth." …Or just a popular internet phrase. It actually broke up the unusual tension (probably because they're not used to seeing me get that angry and neither am I) and we all started laughing at Bark's random choice of words. "But seriously, I think Silver has a point though he may have overstated it a bit. Now he's only known us for a little over a year but I've known you two for four years. Even I'm getting a little tired of this back and forth, I'm-better-than-you competition. Can you two just agree that you both live somewhat lavish lives in comparison to most of us? A truce is all I ask for."

Bean and Honey didn't respond clearly at first but their body language showed that they did somewhat agree.

"I suppose I could secede out of good will," Bean was the first to say.

"You're not _seceding_ from anything," Bark said rolling his eyes as he corrected Bean's misuse of words. "You're just calling off the competition."

"Whatever man. I'm just peacefully bringing this game to a…peaceful end."

"Good. Honey?"

All eyes fell on her watching as she fidgeted with whatever internal conflict she was having. After settling on a look of dismay, Honey threw her hands into the air in agreement.

"Fine!" she said. "Stacey wasn't really serious about the Spring Break trip anyways. She was just talking about stuff that she _wished_ her parents would do. Kinda blew a lot of money on the ski trip last month anyway."

"Ha! I _knew_ you were lying!" Bean said riling up the conflict again and scaring the pants off of me…not literally of course. "Trying to set me up so you could pull off something even bigger at the last minute, huh?"

"Well so were you," Honey retorted pushing a finger into Bean's beak. "I've been inside your house. The only place a TV and a sound system would fit would be in the family room which would mean the system would belong _collectively_ to the family! Not you!"

I buried my face into my hands lost at how to get these two to **just stop**. Bark sympathized and led me away gently by the shoulder. It was bitter cold out anyways. Last thing I wanted to do was stand around and listen to them argue over expensive possessions and vacations.

"I guess this is one of those natural occurrences that just can't be stopped," Bark said as the bickering between Bean and Honey faded behind us.

"Do you even remember the first time they started something like this?" I had to ask.

Bark thought for a few seconds, taking his contemplative stance with one hand on his chin, and nodded a few seconds later.

"Not a clue. I've sat through these too long to remember the first time I sat through it."

Splendid… Well with the noisy duo far behind us, I could actually hear my thoughts for once. But then I heard Bark sigh in a way that suggested he was out of it…or just distracted. So the conversation switched over to him and what was on his mind.

"High school," he said as if it was some punishment. "I'll be starting next year and already I can feel the pressure at home. My eldest brother has already left for college. My eldest sister is getting married. So my parents have high expectations from me since my older siblings all did very well in school. Remembering what they had to go through, I'll have to decide what college to go to a few months after I start freshman year."

"Really? But you have four years to figure that out," I said.

"Maybe for you and other kids but not in my household. 'An early start will lead you ahead of the curve' as my dad would say."

And I bet he would say it with the same intonation and body language too. Bark is almost a splitting image of his gigantic dad.

"Then from there, it'll be AP class after AP class to ensure I'm seen in a favorable light in the eyes of whoever receives my admissions essay. Maybe even an extracurricular activity or two. I'll be worked to the bone for sure."

"There, there big guy," I said patting him on his back. "It sounds like they're just setting you up for an easy time after school. You know, for when you go looking for a job and stuff."

"Well of course they are and I welcome such success. It's just the prospect of leaving behind my childhood so quickly for all of this. I've never told you, those two, or anyone for that matter but the best memories are the ones I spent with you guys, watching you and all the weird stuff you guys get into. All the funny conversations we had. Even Bean and Honey's bickering… Yeah I said I was tired of it but only when it got intense and too serious. I actually liked it when it was all about the hypotheticals and 'what ifs' of their future."

Again, I had to ask myself why I rarely had conversations like this with Bark. He's one of my closest friends along with Bean, Honey, and, obviously, Blaze. Bark's a really smart guy. The voice of reason and wisdom in our group. So much of what I learned over the past year with my friends came from him so why didn't we have more conversations like this? I could just feel the moral of Bark's lecture coming.

"I suppose the takeaway of my woes would be that I'm going to miss the 'simpler' days of my youth that were spent following you guys around the neighborhood and giving out advice." By now Bark had a bittersweet look on his face. Probably thinking back to moments he shared with us…which was probably all of the crazy ideas Bean concocted. "For those two," he motioned behind us to Honey and Bean still going at it. "Thinking so much about what they could have as adults is nice, but I've seen the hard work that goes into obtaining those nice things. You may not see it in your parents, but there's definitely a part of them that's become despondent to the potential fun of life. Replaced by 'well it is what it is' or something similar to that. I understand that hard work reaps great rewards but…I don't want to lose sight of the enjoyable aspects of life. See the world in gray dull colors, if you will. I still want to see things as wondrously as I see them now…with you guys. I still want to see the color that comes from pure happiness. I'm sure you have something like that in your memories, right Silver?"

I closed my eyes and began to think of all the moments where I felt happy just being there. Lunchtime with Bean and his odd antics. Following Honey around and listening to the happiness in her voice despite not remembering what she was talking about. Just taking it easy with Bark and his stories. But the strongest memories of all were any that had Blaze in them. Her smile, her words of encouragement, her words of lecturing… It may be embarrassing to say this, but her near nagging did give me a big confidence boost when we were younger. And it did lead up to me finally giving Lucas and his friends the beating they deserved. Right there, I started to see why Bark was so sad over starting high school. This year was his last chance to enjoy just being a kid. So I guess I have to do what I can and have as much fun with him while there's still time.

Suddenly we heard footsteps running towards us from behind and, just as I started to look back, Bean tackled me to the ground.

"Everything's been settled dudes! Honey and I have reached a most awesome agreement," he said enthusiastically.

"Great. Was it necessary to tackle me?" I said while shoving him off my back.

"I believe it's an announcement worth a few bruises."

"We've agreed that we **both** possess the power to change this world as famous stars!" Honey said as she joined us.

That's it? They've agreed that they're both equally conceited?

"Yes, having been friends the longest, out of the four of us, we realized that our awesome ways and our awesome lives were so strong that neither of us would outshine each other," Bean said while holding Honey around the shoulder…and getting the evil eye from me. "No, we would only grow bigger and bigger and shine a light so bright on the world that everyone, humans and Mobians, would take one look at us and realize just how pitiful their lives are."

"And that they should do their best to reach our level of brightness!"

They high-fived each other and all I could imagine was that one high-five causing a nuclear explosion of conceitedness that would infect the entire population of town. I had a few choice words come to mind for how shallow their realization was but, thankfully, Bark brought this entire pointless issue to an end.

"And with that I must take my leave. A prior family engagement waits for me at home," he said with a small and modest bow.

"I should get going too." Honey bounced over to me and pecked me on my cheek. "There's a TV marathon of that fashion show going on today. Bye guys! Bye Silver Sweetie."

Honestly, I've forgotten what the show was called despite how often Honey told me about it. With those two gone, that left me and Bean free to head to his place and check out his new game system. While I've never had one myself, learning about my parents' true identity has led me to thinking of some ways of obtaining one. And speaking of them…

"Sooo…I know you keep asking me to not bring it up but… Well you know where this is going at this point," he said as we continued on to his place.

"Then you know what I'm going to say," I said.

"Right but maybe—"

"Bean." He and I stopped as I turned toward him. "Please, just…no more. I thought I could wear you out and you'd stop asking about my parents but…it's obvious I made a mistake about that."

His expression immediately changed from guilt to anger and I got a little worried that I only made the situation worse.

"Alright. I think it's about time I stopped being generous about this and just get straight to it," he said in a tone I _rarely_ ever heard from him. "When you opened up to me about your powers last summer, I'll admit, I was surprised, but then I became genuinely happy when I realized that _I_ was the only one you told. At first, you had no problem talking to me about using your powers and about your parents acting weird. But ever since Lucas died you've been pushing me away, telling me to stop asking questions and not to get too nosy."

He started pacing around slowly while he continued to lecture me. I partially deserved it because I was fully aware of how much I was pushing him away for what seemed like no reason.

"I didn't want to ask if you had anything to do with Lucas getting killed," said Bean. "But when you told me that you stopped talking to Blaze after seeing her this summer, it didn't take long to put it all together. What with the obvious history you two had with Lucas." All of the sudden he faced me pointing that well-known rigid finger of his at my guilty soul. "Like I said, my generosity has run out so I'm afraid I'll have to ask what the hell happened last June that made you bottle up your issues?"

His glare lingered on me for a few extra moments before he dropped his hand and crossed his arms waiting patiently for my response. As much as his deductions and brutal honesty hurt, I had no choice but to break the trust we briefly built around my secret. I doubt he'll stop talking to me since we share the same small group of friends. But I'm sure he'll think twice before helping me out in the future since he'll probably assume I won't go out of the way for him. After taking a moment to figure out the right words to say, I approached Bean. He didn't look over at me and kept his arms crossed.

"First, let me say that I know I've been pushing you away lately and it's unfair since I never explained why. There's a good reason for that…" Bean raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "…but I can't tell you what that reason is."

Despite lowering my head hoping to win a few meager sympathy points, I still heard him give that disappointed sigh. He turned away to leave but I stopped him.

"Bean wait! I get that you didn't want to hear that but it's not like I'm deliberately choosing not to tell you. I really can't because that's how serious my situation is!"

"Honestly?" he said looking back over his shoulder while still using that deep, serious tone.

"Of course! You know me!"

Bean turned back, visually stressed and I assumed it was over whether or not he wanted to hear me out or just forget about it all together. After a moment spent scratching his head and thinking it over, Bean finally shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, since you're drop dead serious over being tight-lipped about this, how about I just ask you questions and you answer either yes or no?"

"O-okay. I guess that could work," I said.

"Alright." Bean clapped his hands together eagerly. "So…are your parents really something you should be worried about?"

"Yes," I said.

"Enough to call in the police?"

"No?"

"But they're dangerous to be around, right?"

"Well uh… Can I bend the rules a little?"

"If it'll help me understand," Bean said shrugging his shoulders.

"They're not abusing me or anything but I can't really act odd around them. Odder than I usually am," I said quickly when Bean gave me a skeptical look.

"Okay. Let's see..." He paced around again although it was a little more upbeat than before. "Did you have anything to do with Lucas's death?"

"No."

"Were you anywhere nearby when he died?"

"Yes."

"So you saw who did it?"

"Y…yeah."

"And was Blaze there too?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Do you know the murderer?"

"No…"

"How about Blaze?"

"…Yeah…unfortunately."

In that moment, I was right back in the fields from the incident last summer. Seeing the bomb explode over Blaze's head and the black hedgehog fighting against Knuckles. But what actually got me bummed out over Blaze and Shadow knowing each other were his last words to her. "Take care of yourself Blaze." His creepy and relaxed tone was clear in my head because it sounded like he was close to her…like a friend or something more. One thing Blaze was always good at was knowing when someone might be trouble just from spending a minute or two with them. I can't image she'd let a guy so obviously bad hang around her for a long period of time. Just then, I was reminded that Bean was still in the middle of his questioning so I snapped back to attention.

"Hmm," he said with a hand under his beak. "Is the murderer's name Shadow? I only ask because I remember you asking me if I heard of him, Sonic, and some guy named Gerald."

"Yeah, he's the one. But I thought you said you didn't know him," I said.

"I didn't when you first asked. But over the months, the grapevine has told me of rumors that some kid named Shadow was most likely the one behind the whole troublesome event. I can't say if it fits since the news reports never named a suspect." Finally, Bean's familiar grin returned to his face and he even put an arm around me as he usually did in a friendly demeanor. "But I think I got a good hunch about the direness of your situation. Shadow killed someone you had a fight with and your parents might be spies or something."

"About that," I said. "Could you stop using the word 'spy'? I mean, yeah, I can't trust them completely but…they're not enemies out to do me in. They still care for me. It's just that…"

"Whatever they're up to you're pretty sure it has nothing to do with killing you, right?"

"Exactly. …But I also don't want anything to happen to you and the others either."

Bean was a little surprised at what I said and stepped back. I couldn't say what was going on in his mind but I at least knew he wasn't angry. He then chuckled and continued with his walk back to his place. I caught up with him in a few steps.

"You know, I was going to ask what made you seem so sure that they had hidden identities but if their presence is _that _threatening then I guess I really am better off not knowing the details. Don't worry dude. I'll keep it cool around your 'rents."

A simple thanks from me followed and, just like that, the special trust we built around my secret was secured. Maybe even stronger than before. …But there was still one thing bothering me. Particularly about Bean's way of getting information from across town.

"So what's this 'grapevine' you're always talking about?" I said.

"Oh that? It's just a few friends who have some friends who have some friends." Right then he saw how skeptical I was of his vague and repetitive answer. "Its basically a long gossip train from here to the burbs on the other side of town. …Although it's a little slow at times…and inaccurate occasionally."

"So does that mean the address you got for Blaze might not even be the right one?"

"Oh no that's definitely the right one! Looked up the phone number and cranked called them myself!"

His proud enthusiasm over a stupid technique just reeked of…_Beanitude_.

* * *

After a short afternoon of gaming, I went home. Bean expressed his concerns but only because he was worried if I knew what I was doing by not revealing everything.

"It's for the safety of all of us," I said as he and I stood out in front of his house near the sidewalk.

"Yeah, yeah but…just don't get in over your head," he said. "You know how easy it is for you to fall into your own self-made traps."

"Don't worry. Everything that I went through with Lucas, including his death, made me realize a few things about me. So I got a good idea of how to handle tough situations now."

With that I left and hurried home if only to make sure that mom and dad wouldn't get too suspicious of me. About ten minutes later I reached my area of the neighborhood after cutting through a few backyards. I could see my parents' cars in the driveway but wasn't afraid one bit due to the plan I came up with that was inspired by my conversation with Bean. Considering the high risk factor of it, I couldn't tell him for he'd probably flip and get all protective of me. Or at least try to back me up. No, confronting my parents directly about them being G.U.N. agents was something that I had to do myself. It's possible I might be able to tell Bean about the outcome

later (depending on the degree of the results, of course). But if something goes awry, at least the fault will lie solely on me and he'd be left out of it entirely. Heh. I think I'm turning myself into an iron wall or something by guarding my friends so carefully. Ironwall Silver. Now **that's** a much cooler nickname than Silver Sweetie.

I was at my front door a few moments later and came in to the faint sounds of dad playing his violin downstairs in his personal study in the den. The door was closed. I could see mom in the kitchen lying on her back halfway inside the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink. And at her side was her big, green toolbox. Whenever she was at home, she was always busy doing something time consuming. I stood at the kitchen entrance and took a second to gather my courage before getting mom's attention. She slid out of the cabinet and sat up with a wrench in her hand.

"Hey sweetheart," she said. "Did you have fun with your friends today?"

"Yeah. Um, there's something I want to talk to you about," I said. "Well you and dad actually."

"Oh? Having problems at school?" she said as she stood up and placed the wrench on top of the counter.

"No, everything's fine." Here goes. "I want to talk about you guys being G.U.N. agents."

Gradually, her light-hearted expression melted into a stern look. Before the events of last summer, I probably would've had a chill run up my spine. But I was completely calm. Not too serious but definitely not nervous in any way. Ideally, I'd rather have this conversation stay somewhat casual as any hostility will probably make things harder for me. After a few moments of an uneasy silence mom ordered me to sit at the dining room table and she left the kitchen and headed into the den. As I crossed our small kitchen and entered the dining area where the table was I could hear mom knock on the door to dad's study and his violin stopped. I took a seat at the end chair facing the back porch and a moment later mom and dad came up from the den. Mom sat in the chair to my right while dad prepared some tea in the kitchen. Our dining table wasn't very big. Just an average, polished, wood table that seated six.

It was a little unsettling sitting there next to mom who looked pissed off and ready to ground me. The sounds of dad setting out tea cups while the electric kettle boiled water kinda softened the mood but not by much. He then joined us at the table, bringing a pair of tea cups on saucers, and set one down in front of mom. The other for himself. He made himself comfortable in the seat on my left, directly across from mom. While the electric kettle continued to boil in the background, I thought over and over of the simplest way to start this conversation. However, mom took that light burden off of me by speaking first.

"Did Sonic tell you?" she asked while running a finger around the edge of her lavender and white cup.

"Yeah," I said. "He told me that I was brought here as an infant…so that Shadow wouldn't get to me."

They exchanged looks but weren't surprised. Perhaps they were anticipating I'd know this much.

"How much do you know about Shadow?" mom said.

"Just that he's a bad kid that caused a lot of trouble in the months before Lucas's death," I answered.

"And did you see him?"

My heart skipped a beat. I remembered what Sonic told me after running from the scene of the bomb explosion. Were I to reveal that I had contact with Shadow, my parents would have to report it and I would be taken to a G.U.N. base and live out the rest of my life there. Looks like Bean was right to warn me about falling into my own traps. Mentioning Shadow put me into this tight corner. Can't really go on the defense and try to set up ground rules for the conversation at this point. It'd probably seem too suspicious to them. Looks like it'll have to stay open-ended. Maybe it'll encourage mom and dad to be honest with their answers…despite being military soldiers.

"…Yes." My chest tightened up a little from anxiety.

"Was he the one who killed the boy?" mom asked.

"Yeah. It was _definitely_ him." Just thinking about it got me angry. I should've been the one who saved Blaze, not him!

"Did you actually _see_ the murder happen?" Mom narrowed her eyes at me and I shrunk in my seat.

Being knocked out at the time was still eating away at me, though not as much as before. But admitting to it verbally felt…shameful. Something about vocalizing my missed opportunity to mend the damage that was done to Blaze bothered me more than anything ever has. It's got nothing to do with showing weakness in front of my parents. They've seen me cry over spilled milk (literally). It's more about…me. I don't think I can accept the fact that _I_ wasn't the one who took revenge for what happened to her. I couldn't be the knight from those medieval bedtime stories even though she never liked the idea of a knight _always_ saving a princess. Now I know Lucas wasn't the one who originally harassed Blaze but he was definitely the ring leader of the two idiots who actually did it. Add on all the unpleasant encounters we had with him and he definitely deserved what he got! I've got no bad feelings over him dying. The only other regret I have, aside from not avenging Blaze, is not being able to give those weasel twins the punishment they also deserved instead of a beat down… Not that I'm saying I would've killed them. Torture…maybe.

It was at that moment, in the heat of my anger, that the electric kettle beeped having finished boiling the water. Dad got up casually and removed the kettle from its base and filled a nearby floral-decorated teapot with the steaming water. It was his special tea steeping pot he bought from a store that sold imported Chu-nan items. He always brought it out whenever he and mom would have a serious discussion. Suddenly, mom rapped her knuckles against the table bringing my attention back to her.

"Well? Did you see the crime happen or not?" she said, her voice a little louder than before.

After a glance around the room, and towards dad bringing the teapot and a small circular placemat back to the table, I finally exhaled and answered.

"No. I-I didn't see it happen." I watched dad place the woven placemat on the table and the oval shaped pot on top of it.

"Lucky you," dad finally said after all of this time. He took a glimpse at his watch. "Seeing murder for the first time is never easy for most people. They go all stiff and try to block it out of their minds anyway they can, haha."

Mom just rolled her eyes and continued her interrogation.

"How do you know Shadow is the culprit?"

"I…uh…"

She sighed impatient and probably fed up with my hesitation at this point. After being reminded of my biggest regret of this year, I think it's fair to say that my confidence from earlier withered away pretty quickly.

"Blaze told you, right?" she said.

My instincts caused me to stiffen up as I thought up a convincing lie to draw the conversation away from Blaze. Along with my friends, she absolutely cannot be brought into this. However, mom went on saying a few more things that knocked me off my feet.

"We know she was there," she said. "Those burn wounds on the boy were pretty fresh and the campfire we determined he was using was pretty cold and dried out. There's also the obvious history you two had with him so don't even think about feigning ignorance on this one."

Shoot. Trapped in a corner with no way to fight off her deductions. While I tried hard to fight off the fear and frustration I was feeling at the moment, dad swooped in, as calm as he always is, and sort of got mom off my back.

"Easy dear," he said. "I think his uncomfortable silence is enough proof that the girl was definitely there. Now as bad as this may seem for you, Silver, I think Shadow's presence is a bit of a blessing for the two of you. Your mom was pretty disappointed, but still gun-ho, about going after you and Blaze once we found evidence pointing to her being present at the scene…" He raised his benevolent eyes to mom and smiled in a flirty way. "But then we picked up traces of Chaos Energy, isn't that right sweetheart?"

Mom groaned and let her gaze drift to the back porch. Again, dad glanced down at his wristwatch and then lifted up the top to the teapot to remove the small metal basket of leaves steeping in the water. He placed them to the side on an extra plate next to him.

"Shadow's unexpected attack was a bit unpleasant for us all but not too surprising though," dad said as he poured tea for himself and mom. "We did get a red alert message from G.U.N. months before concerning Shadow wreaking havoc on Prison Island. But given our mission, the best we can do is protect you when trouble arises as opposed to shoring up our defenses beforehand…a strategy your mother prefers."

"Idiots…" mom grumbled before taking a sip of tea. "Just be glad we decided against reporting that you **might have** had contact with Shadow."

"What? You guys were suspicious all along but didn't say anything to your bosses?" I said.

"Not exactly intelligent on our part," said dad. "But we—"

"**AHEM!**" Mom took another sip from her cup as if her interruption wasn't a big deal.

"Sorry dear. _I_, personally, became attached to you despite orders to remain emotionally distant. Inevitable, I suppose, after watching you grow up for so many years. Your mother on the other hand…" Dad motioned for mom to fill in with her reason and she gulped down the last bit of her still-hot tea, a little bit of it leaking from the corner of her mouth.

"At the time of the murder, I came to the conclusion that you were developing well on your own and that you would be able to handle any social situations that arose either at school or in the neighborhood. To have your positive growth interrupted by G.U.N. would be counter productive to the main objective of our mission."

"Which is to raise you in a healthy environment and return you to the organization when you're an adult," dad said before taking in a relaxing sip of his tea cup. "A loophole if you will. Disregarding standard procedure by following mission orders."

At this point of the conversation, we were far from where I was hoping to be; in charge and grilling my parents on every detail of their mission. But, despite that, I felt….comfortable. Sure, I was still concerned that my parents could change their minds and reveal the truth to their bosses. But that feeling I had before, the feeling that they were truly concerned for me, grew a little after hearing what they had to say. I traced a circle on the table with my finger while dad continued to drink his tea and mom, at this point, was sitting back in her chair, her arms crossed. I could still see that she decided to be patient with me now.

"Um, about Blaze's powers," I said while watching my finger move in a continuous circle. "How did you know that it was Blaze in the first place?"

When I looked up at mom our eyes met and then hers went straight to dad as if to say "Ask him, not me." I got his attention, quietly, and he took a moment to finish off his tea before setting aside his cup and plate.

"Well," he started with his hands folded before him and eyes closed. "Years ago, I knew Blaze's mother, Felicity."

My jaw dropped and I even stopped breathing for a few seconds. Dad knew…Blaze's mom…years ago? Obviously the first thought that came to mind was Blaze's mom also being a G.U.N. agent…and that maybe Blaze had some secret ties with the organization just like me. But mom was quick to bury those thoughts saying that "Felicity isn't a G.U.N. agent and Blaze has nothing to do with them either." Wow, she's good at reading my mind. But to know Blaze's mom for so long…I understand why neither of them would've bother telling me but…no wait, I actually don't understand.

"If Blaze's mom isn't a G.U.N. agent, how did you meet her? And why didn't you tell me?" I said.

"To answer your second question, it really didn't matter," dad said. "Our previous meeting had no bearing on you and Blaze living here and becoming friends. That was just pure coincidence. As for how we met…"

"_That_ can be saved for another time. Preferably between you two boys," mom said as she left the table, exhausted of our talk. "Silver, it's getting close to dinnertime so go watch some TV or whatever. Unless you want to help me with preparations."

I opted out and dad got up from the table collecting the tea cups and plates. The leftover tea was put away in the refrigerator in a plastic pitcher.

"Feel free to ask me anytime about how Felicity and I met during our days at the G.U.N. training facility," dad said as he headed back to the den for his study. "I only knew her for a short time so I never thought we'd meet again like this years later."

I could hear the door to his study, at the far end of the den, close and I remained at the dining room table looking at mom's back as she got out a few pots and pans from the cabinets over the counter. Dad's violin started back up and suddenly, the agents acting as my parents no longer seemed like they were acting at all. Even though mom was intimidating and pushy with me during the entire conversation, by the end it was apparent that she really did care about me despite her soldier attitude. And dad…well I always felt a little closer to dad just because of how calm and easy-going he was. To know so much about what's going on with me and choosing to protect me rather than follow the rules…it was no longer an issue of whether or not I could trust them. I _knew_ I had their support. And to think that I was ready to go head-to-head with them like some kind of stiff business meeting. It almost makes me want to forget the fact that they've been putting me to sleep for the past few months but…

"Mom? Why are you drugging my food? You and dad aren't doing any weird experiments on me are you?"

"It's just to run some routine check-ups on your powers," she said while pushing around a mound of ground beef in the big pan before her. "We can only get the best results if your mind is at rest and, honestly, you've been having too much on your mind lately." She suddenly looked back at me. "Did you think we were trying to kill you?"

"Not exactly…" I had to let that one slide into a little lie. I know mom thinks I have issues with daydreaming too much.

"Well, as you know now, that would also be counterproductive to our mission."

I suppose that's the closest she'll come to honestly saying she's just looking out for my well-being. I got up from the table and gave mom a hug from her backside. She didn't say anything, surprising considering she tends to keep me at a distance while she's at the stove, and I left and went downstairs to watch some TV. Thinking back on what Sonic told me, I understand why he wanted me to be wary of my parents. But, thankfully, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and learned that they're not so bad after all. I'm not sure if I'll ever tell Bean about this conversation. I still want to keep my friends out of the thick details of things so maybe I'll just reassure him with a few vague words. Convince him enough so he'll believe me when I say that they're not as dangerous as I thought.


	25. Knuckles: The Struggles of Yuna Li

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Knuckles: The Struggles of Yuna-Li**

_February  
_My birthday was two weeks ago. After a lot of nudging from Tiara, I finally caved in and agreed to let her buy me a present. Birthdays (or any sort of celebration that wasn't Echidna related) were never really a big deal at home. But since I'm in a relationship, I guess I can let go of some of the habits ingrained into me by mother and have a little fun. Don't really see a reason to stop going against her rules now since I'm more than sure that Tiara and I will be celebrating our one year anniversary this summer when the school year ends. Instead of going to the plaza for my present, Tiara wanted to head to a family-owned antique store just down the street from the shopping plaza.

"It's a little place I frequent when I have the extra cash on hand. They have some cool stuff there like handcrafted things from Knothole and promotional stuff from when King Max married Queen Alicia," Tiara said as we came up on the store.

This part of the burbs always had a small-town feel to it being the founding place of Emerald Town almost fifty years ago. I never came down this way too often but whenever I did the sights would trigger something within me. Something that just peaks my interest in the history that lies within this place; a natural curiosity that makes me the silent genius in History Class. As Tiara and I entered the old antique shop, we were greeted by the cashier; a female lizard in a purple fleece vest who looked to be a few years older than Tiara. Probably a college student.

"Hey Tiara," the lizard said. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"A lot's been going on for me," Tiara said as we approached the counter. "So is it in yet?"

"Yep! Just came in this morning." Just as the girl started to leave the counter, she stopped, looked at me, and gave a coy smile. "He's a lot cuter in person."

I felt my face flush up with embarrassment while the girls laughed it off. Then the lizard headed to the back of the store.

"You know, you blush too easily," Tiara said as she nudged me in the arm.

"Well, I'm not used to my life being an open book that strangers talk about," I replied.

"Sorry, sorry. It's just that I come here often looking for antique jewelry so I've gotten to know Vidya pretty well over the past year."

Ah, so that's where she got those really nice earrings she wore to the Winter Dance in December. Obviously, mother didn't let me go but Tiara and her friends took plenty of pictures. And it was for the high school students only but, from what I heard, kids in my grade managed to sneak in anyway. Tiara's cell phone chimed and, like an involuntary reflex, she whipped it out and got to texting away with one of her many friends or acquaintances. At this point in our relationship, she knew very well why I could never have convenient things like a cell phone or a MyLife page online. Still not sure how to break the Guardian news to her though. While Tiara texted, I took a little stroll through the shop. A lingering "antique" smell permeated the air and filling the dark, oak shelves towards the front of the store were mostly small knickknacks. Many of them old products or novelty junk that mother or my aunt and uncle would know about. But the back of the store was where some of the more interesting items were kept. Like a tall, grandfather clock ticking away in the corner, a small, handcrafted dining table set from Knothole (according to the sign sitting on it), and an old, large map of the Mobius continents mounted high up on the back wall. Didn't see a price tag on it so maybe it was the owner's prize possession? Vidya came out of the backroom with a small cardboard box in hand and caught me looking at the map.

"All the cool stuff is up front and you end up staring at an outdated map?" she said jokingly.

I laughed nervously and tried desperately to think of an equally light-hearted response. Needless to say, I stumbled over my words. Even dating Tiara still hasn't helped me get over being shy around girls.

"I'm just teasing you. Tiara was right about you being shy," Vidya said. "The map belongs to my granddad who owns this store, though it's mostly my parents and I who run it. According to granddad, the map is a remnant of the Great War handed down to him through his family for generations."

The Great War huh? Even though it was three hundred years ago, the material the map was printed on was probably made from durable, raw materials. Mobians are pretty well known for crafting quality items from our surroundings. On the map, I noticed that most of the locations were key forts set up along the eastern side of the Central Continent. Made sense considering the Great War was mostly a territorial dispute between Mobians and humans.

"He's probably right," I said as I continued to examine the map. "Aside from a few key cities, like Albion on the west coast and the old location of Mobotropolis at the center of the continent, a lot of the places marked down are forts that were set up in areas the humans were most likely to use to invade the Central Continent. And a few were scattered on the southeastern islands for good measure. Eventually they went to waste since those islands lacked the valuable natural resources the humans were after on the Central Continent."

It was a few seconds before I realized I had gone into "history nerd" mode and the result was a slightly surprised Vidya staring at me. She laughed a moment later easing up the tense atmosphere.

"Cute and a smarty pants. Didn't think Tiara went for the nerdy type," she said with a laugh. "I also didn't think that stereotype was true. You know, that all echidnas were history nerds."

"Um…it's my mother. She makes me study a lot to keep my grades up." While I still felt a little nervous standing next to Vidya, being complimented on my history knowledge did loosen me up a little.

"Well, at least you'll be able to make Tiara a very happy wife in the future," she said and headed back to the front of the store.

Marriage…right. Not sure how I'll explain _that_ to my girlfriend as well. At the front of the store, Vidya was already behind the counter opening up the box she brought out with her. After shifting through the tissue paper cushioning whatever was inside, she pulled out a jagged piece of stone with a faded image painted on one side. Carefully, Vidya placed the ancient piece of granite rock on the glass counter and Tiara and I moved in with caution for a closer look. It was about two inches thick, a little bigger than my hand, with a spotty grey coloring that looked unfamiliar suggesting that the rock's natural origins were in a different region far from here. As for the faded, chipped image, it was a crudely drawn flame…with a core that had an almost humanoid appearance. The backdrop which the image sat on was a faded sky blue color. If this is my birthday present, I do have to hand it to Tiara for thinking outside of the box. Not even Aunt Liliana and Uncle Kal took it this far and I thought their presents were pretty unique.

"I didn't think it would look so dull," Tiara said.

"Well according to granddad's friend this is, supposedly, a piece of Echidna history and it's been travelling around the world for about a thousand years so…" Vidya said as she removed the cardboard packaging from the counter.

Echidna history? Is she saying that this portrait fragment might've come from the ancient Echidna civilization?

"Really? You'd think that something like this would be in an auction house going for millions…" Tiara rotated the rock so that the image was right-side-up from our point of view.

"Only stuff that actually depicts the Echidna civilization become priceless items," the lizard said. "This is just a random image. Probably from some private painting inside of someone's home."

Tiara stepped back when she noticed how much I was leaning in to get a better look at the fragment. I just couldn't believe it. There was no way this rock survived the destruction of my people's civilization, was handed off to hundreds over the centuries, and still end up in this condition 'til this very day. No, it had to have been protected by people who thought it was important enough to be preserved.

"So how did you come across this exactly?" I asked Vidya.

"My granddad's friend I mentioned before," she started. "He had it for much of his life and when he ended up on his death bed a few months back he started giving away all of his prized possessions. He said he got this from a friend who got it from someone else. It was just a chain of coincidence that we ended up with it."

And she was probably right about that. I suppose that vague story of passage will just have to do. Vidya disappeared below the counter momentarily and dug through the lower cabinets on the wall behind her. When she came back up, she had a festive box in hand decorated with modest colors of beige and gold with a piece of gold ribbon to match.

"I know there's no point in wrapping it up in a box when you've already seen it, but what the hell," Vidya said as she placed the stone fragment inside the box lined with white tissue paper.

"It's cool," said Tiara. "Sooo…whaddya think Knuckles?"

"I…I actually like it," I said finally coming to the realization of how cool the present was. "I'll have to hide it away from mother but…thank you Tiara!"

She giggled with a bounce and we embraced each other for a moment. After the fragment was packed away and the box tied with the ribbon, Vidya handed it to me and Tiara and I left. With my present secure under my right arm and Tiara latched onto my left, we headed off to the plaza for lunch. Almost immediately I started to feel the reason why Tiara wanted to get me a birthday present so badly. Even though it wasn't something cool like a sleek computer or an expensive phone, I still felt a great amount of happiness that made the blue sky seem more vibrant than usual. Maybe I've been a little too soft on the importance of one's own birthday. That it's more than just celebrating the day someone was born but also an opportunity to grow closer with your loved ones. I won't hold out on mother understanding that much so I suppose Tiara and I could probably plan something a little bigger next year.

At the plaza, it was just the two of us strolling around among the growing afternoon crowd. Didn't see a trace of Tiara's friends or any familiar faces from school. Odd. Since Tiara had to be home early to help make dinner, she wanted to stop by an accessory shop before I walked her home. I decided to wait outside for her. The girls in that particular shop tend to be a little too interested in guys. After sometime had passed, it seemed like Tiara was going to be in there for an eternity and I would have to give in and wait inside due to the constant wind that kept blowing too often. Just as I turned towards the glass doors, Tiara came out with a small bag in hand.

"Sorry I took so long," she said. "Let's go."

She latched onto to my left arm again and we had only taken a few steps when the very last voice I expected to hear cried out to me and nearly scared me out of my coat.

"KNUCKLES!"

I spun around at the sound of mother's voice and saw her with a frightened expression while a bag of clothes she was holding dropped to the ground next to her. The obvious reaction I wanted to have (_Oh shit_) didn't have the chance to be uttered by me as mother immediately marched right up to us and made a reach for Tiara.

"_You harlot!_"

"Leave her alone!" I said stepping in between them. "This isn't her fault!"

Fury built up in an instant on mother's face but she kept everything under control being in a public place and all. In anticipation of a long fight waiting for us at home, I gave my present to Tiara for safe keeping and I could only hope she picked up on that reason without any verbal communication.

"I'm sorry," was the only thing I knew I could say in mother's presence and, just like that, she took me by the arm dragged me away stopping briefly to pick up her shopping bag of clothes. Minutes later, we drove home in the most uncomfortable and frustrating silence I had the misfortune to endure. Ten minutes to build up every nagging sentence she could shout at me while pacing about in the living room with me sitting and "listening" to every last one of them. Yep, definitely not the first argument between us. The first in a while but there have been others before. The car pulled up to the house, mother slamming the rear car door after snatching her shopping bag from the back seat, and we moved inside fairly quickly.

"On the couch! NOW!" she said though I was already heading for it the second I stepped across the threshold and took off my coat.

With my coat laying next to me, I sat, reclined, with slight irritation, slight boredom, and slight worry over Tiara. Mother stormed upstairs muttering whatever pissed off complaints she usually kept to herself and away from my ears. Understandably, I was more relaxed than I should've been if only because this was something I knew could happen at any point whenever I was out with Tiara. I just didn't think it would happen so soon and I could only hope that she wasn't too embarrassed or terrified of mother. I'll just smooth things over with her at school on Monday…if mother decides to let me go that is. Minutes later I adjusted my posture and sat forward when mother descended from the stairs, undressed of her outer wear, and headed straight into the kitchen. A cabinet door slamming shut, the pop of opening a bottle, and the barely audible splash of liquid into glass followed each other in swift succession meaning that mother was partaking her ritual "calming" glass of wine before engaging in, what she would consider, a hostile situation. Though I sincerely felt that alcohol was the last thing she should consume since experience has taught me that the stuff only accentuated her worst traits.

She emerged from the kitchen, glass half-full of red wine in hand, and paced about on the opposite end of the living room taking frequent sips of her beverage. The stern, contemplating look on her face only grew more sour as the wine glass was depleted faster than she usually drank until the last bit of it went down in one, big, tilt back motion. Then she paced again, five quick steps in one direct and five in the other direction along her invisible straight path. Finally she stopped, facing the dining room on the right side of the house, her arms crossed and an index finger rapidly tapping against her bicep. Suddenly, in a swift motion that I did _not_ expect, mother threw her glass in my direction but, thankfully, nailed the front door a foot away from me.

"YOU DECEIVING BASTARD!" she bellowed as she approached me. "I should've known you were pulling this shit behind my back! How long has this been going on?"

I was on guard from the thrown wine glass but lowered my guard slightly to answer mother.

"Since last summer," I said after pulling my eyes away from the glass shards scattered across the door mat.

She slapped me, palm open and as much force as she could put into it. I cringed and held down my boiling anger and shattering fear for this reaction was expected.

"_You liar_," she hissed. "You're just like those lying, power-hungry, murdering outsiders who want nothing but _our_ demise! I wanted to do everything I could to move us back to Albion but one of your father's _dying declarations_ was that you'd be raised here in this shithole in the middle of nowhere. All because of that _traitorous_ brother of his…going off marrying that Desert whore…"

It was never a secret that mother absolutely hated living here. That's one of the few things she never hid from me. Probably her way of trying to pass on to me her unjustified hatred towards anyone who wasn't a tradition-bound echidna.

"I can't believe you had the audacity to bring shame to the Guardian line by having a fling with that Mobian slut," mother continued on. "God knows how many boys she's probably given herself to."

"Tiara is _not_ that kind of girl!" I shot up to my feet and met her eye to eye.

"Tiara? _Tiara?_ Ha! Her future was practically written for her with that name! You're just shamefully helping her fulfill her destiny as the town lover."

"SHUT UP! You have _no right_ to talk about her that way!"

I shoved mother away and she pushed back harder knocking me onto the couch. I could tolerate her bad-mouthing everyone, including myself and our relatives, but the line was drawn at Tiara. _No one_, especially mother, had the right to say anything negative about her. She doesn't deserve it.

"Tch. Just a childish romance," mother said after straightening her blouse. "Since it's become alarmingly apparent that you're wasting time fooling around in this town, I'll just have you spend the remainder of your school years at the Sacred House. You're grandfather will have no problem covering the expenses for that once I've told him what you've been up to."

"I'm _not_ going!" I said.

"You're _going_ and I'm going to make sure your instructors pound our history and the Covenant into your head so you don't screw us all!"

"I'm not going because there's nothing wrong with what I'm doing! I'll break up with her when the time comes so stop being such a paranoid bitch about it!"

In that moment the wrath of hell possessed her. Eyes widened, cheeks flushed red with rage, and a throaty growl came forth that was common in echidnas. Mother lunged forth, wrapping her hands around my neck and pinned me against the sofa with her left knee being extra sure to put all of her weight into it.

"_Me_ a paranoid _bitch_?" she growled. "Are you that carefree about your history that you brushed off what happened to our people?! How we were almost **wiped out** by the water demon of the Master Emerald?!"

"I'm well…aware of that!" I said while struggling to loosen her grip. "I just think…you're overreacting. Father would have no problem with it."

"What the hell would you know about your father? He of all people wouldn't want you to fuck around with our fate!"

"I know more…than **you do**!" I was able to shove mother off of me. She stumbled and fell onto her back allowing me to stand over her. "I know that he dated plenty of girls before he married my birthmother! And everything turned out fine in the end!"

"That secular bitch would've only dragged him further away from the traditions that've kept us safe," she said as she stood. "And it seems that fate was well aware of this and had you kill her."

"I DID NOT KILL MY MOTHER!" I rushed and grabbed her by her blouse but she was anticipating this burst and put up enough resistance to keep stable.

"Don't act so stupid! She died giving birth to you as punishment for living a secular lifestyle and to prevent her from tainting your future as a Guardian. I knew this, your grandfather knew this, and, eventually, your father was able to admit it as well. The sooner you accept this, the better off you'll be!"

That was the last straw. I couldn't stand anymore of mother's spiteful words and punched her square in the face. The force was strong enough to knock her into the glass case housing the Master Emerald and other echidna artifacts that were probably less important. While the structure shook, mother was able to stabilize it and I went in for a few more hits. She blocked the first punch but the second and third were too fast and she ended up taking the full force of my uppercut that sent her a few inches off her feet and tumbling into a side table near the kitchen entrance. I was kind enough to leave it at that opting to watch her lay in pain next to the fallen side table and potted plant that went down with said table; dirt now scattered across the floor with some on mother's clothes.

"…Just like all those monsters…" I heard her say in a low tone. "Every last one of them. Out to get me. Out to fuck me over!" She managed to push herself up onto her forearms but seemed to be too hurt to stand up fully. "I sacrificed so much for your sake. Made promises to so many to raise you properly and continue the dignified line of Guardians!" She paused to wipe the trail of blood dripping from her mouth. "You owe me you ungrateful child! You owe it to me to at least act like you care about your responsibilities as a Guardian and do as you're told! You owe it to your grandfather who still cares enough to stay in touch with me occasionally despite his dislike of your father and mother! And you even owe it to your _dead daddy_ who died young because he waited too long before coming to terms with his transgressions!"

"…What about your sins?" I said in a surprisingly calm voice. "When will you pay for them?"

Over the course of the last few moments, the bruise on mother's left eye had swollen considerably. I suppose it was the reason why I spoke to her so calmly. The underlying pity I took on her.

"My transgressions are none of your concern," she hissed. "What matters now is that I make sure that you don't drag me, your Guardianship, or your ancestors through the mud."

"Fine then…I'll help you."

I marched right upstairs and to my room and began to messily gather onto my bed my school supplies, my Sacred House study materials, and father's journals. After dragging my suitcase out from the bottom of the closet, I began to toss into it several of my school uniforms and the Sacred House uniforms as well and then tossed in the Sacred House materials. The rest of my school supplies were stuffed into my backpack and fathers journals and a few leftover supplies were all stuffed into a tan knapsack that had been lying underneath my bed for some time. Ten minutes later I left my room carrying everything with me but stopped at the top of the stairs when I heard the house phone ring. Three rings later, mother had finally answered the kitchen phone which was fairly easy for her to reach since it sat on the counter next to the entrance, a foot away from where I left her.

"Hello Sabre," I heard her voice say trying to sound as normal as she could. "…Yes, everything is fine. …I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. Nothing's happened over here. …O-of course. I'll be sure to keep you updated on Knuckles's progress at the end of this month. Excuse me."

I descended down after hearing the beep of mother hanging up the cordless phone. Upon reaching the ground floor, I found mother sitting in the kitchen doorway with the phone at her side and a defeated look on her face. Her eyes lifted up to me but said nothing and I continued on to the front door.

"You'll be back," I heard her say just as I grasped the doorknob. "You forgive too easily and cling close to what you believe in. It'll take some time but eventually you'll turn back around and come back to me because you're just like your father. You respect the hard work of others no matter how much you disagree with them on a personal level."

"…Goodbye mother," I said and left the house.

In the back of my head was a nagging voice telling me to go back and help mother up to her room. Her outburst over my relationship with Tiara was the fatigue talking. All of those words of bigotry was the stress of balancing work and my well being spilling out at once. That entire fight wasn't her fault…it just wasn't. …So whose fault was it then? I halted at the end of the driveway and seriously considered turning around and going back in. Apologizing profusely and carrying the full weight of responsibility for the ordeal. …But I took another step away from the house…and kept going towards Tikal's home. **She's** the one who was at fault. All of those years of instilling fear and causing me pain…it was only inevitable that I'd begin to rebel against her as I got older. But why did I go so easy on her? All of that anger towards her and I only managed a few punches that would bruise her temporarily. Echidnas from the Knuckles Clan are infamous for having raging strength and a monstrous wrath when provoked so why did I take pity on her and hold back? Maybe she's right. Maybe I did inherit the instinctive reaction of respecting the hard work of others no matter how much they anger me. Regardless, I still needed time away from her.

It took a little longer to reach Tikal's place than it usually did. Mostly because I took some time gathering my thoughts and coming up with a reasonable explanation for my sudden arrival. When I finally got there, there was another moment of hesitation in which I continued to entertain the idea of going back to mother. But I was already here…and the wind chill had picked up a little more since earlier this afternoon and I didn't want to spend anymore time outside. I ranged the doorbell and seconds later aunt Lily opened the door.

"Oh Knuckles!" she said not sure if she should look happy or concerned. "What brings you over here? …And you brought luggage with you?"

"Can I…can I stay here for a few days aunt Lily?" I felt as if I was reverting back to my ten-year-old self despite turning fourteen two weeks ago.

"Why of course you can Knuckles," she said leading me in. "You're family, you don't have to be overly formal about it."

"Thanks."

"You can use the guest room upstairs. Second door on your right."

I headed upstairs hauling my belongings with me knowing full well that aunt Liliana was watching with concern over why I showed up suddenly. I passed by Tikal's room, the door cracked open a bit, but didn't bother to let her know I was there. Unfortunately I think she heard aunt Lily greet me at the door and came out just as I passed.

"Knuckles? What are you doing here?" she said.

I stopped just in front of the guest room but was in no mood to divulge any information at the moment, even to her.

"I'll be staying here for a few days," I said and hurried into the room.

"Wait. What happened?"

"Tikal please!"

She had stopped me just as I was closing the door. Seeing whatever expression I had on my face was enough to convince her to step back and apologize allowing me to close the door. I sighed. Still conflicted if what I was doing was right even though I was more than sure that this was necessary to do. After that little respite, I began to unpack my belongings, first the suitcase which I sat on the bed that was covered with plenty of decorative pillows and a cozy white blanket. Everything had been thrown in haphazardly, enough to wrinkle most of my uniform clothing. Looks like I'll have to ask aunt Lily to help iron them out tonight or tomorrow, whenever she had the time. As soon as I emptied out the suitcase of the last few items a knock came at the door.

"Knuckles, it's your uncle. Can I come in?"

Uncle Kal… Should've seen his involvement coming. Now that the entire family knows I'm here, I'm sure they've figured out that something must've happened between mother and I what with no formal announcement of my arrival.

"Sure. Come in," I called towards the door.

Uncle Kal entered and closed the door behind him.

"Lily told me you're going to stay for a few days," he started. "Did something happen between you and Yuna-Li?"

…Of course. Straight to the point.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," I said with my back towards him.

I proceeded to store my suitcase under the bed and separated my uniforms for ironing. Uncle Kal took a seat at the desk in the corner of the room by the window.

"Knuckles, we know how difficult she can be. You don't have to hide it from us. Whatever happened was probably just misunderstanding or just Yuna-Li being too wrapped up over your well-being."

"She caught me out with my girlfriend at the plaza," I said. "I don't think there's any misunderstanding about that."

"Oh. I see."

His tone indicated that he probably had a good grasp of what did happen at home and I noticed him adjust his posture in response.

"Well, when she calms down she should be in a good enough mood to talk things over with. As dedicated as she is to tradition, she wouldn't abandon you. Not after the life she lived before she married my brother."

"Uncle Kal," I stopped what I was doing and looked up at him seriously. "We've already talked. We fought but we also talked during the fight. I know how she wants to resolve this and she knows how I want to resolve this. Coming here was my way of doing things since I don't want to spend the next few years living at the Sacred House."

"So I take it you just up and left the house?"

"Yeah." I went back to separating my clothes and checking my Sacred House materials to see if I brought all the important items with me. "I couldn't take her blind hatred anymore. I just had to get away from it. That and her delusions that the world is out to get her and punish her like my father and mother."

"So she's told her thoughts on them, has she? I can assume you're clever enough to figure out that no one is born that way, right? That a person is conditioned into seeing the world that way."

"A person's environment and certain events they live through alter their personality and perception of the world. That's elementary stuff." After I was done sorting, I sat on the bed and thought about mother still sitting on the floor in the kitchen doorway. "I wasn't going to pry into why she ended up like that but she sure as hell seemed reluctant to recognize that she wasn't anymore perfect than my real parents. Just…went on about how much work she put into trying to raise me properly."

"Yuna-Li jumped through hoops of fire to get to where she is."

"Was it that bad for her before marrying my father?"

"I'm not familiar with the finer details of her life," Kalek said crossing one leg over the other. "She's done well to keep those to herself and Locke was pretty keen on respecting her privacy. From what he did tell me, however, it seemed like she had a rough upbringing but managed to survive it all and became and upstanding, traditional, Knuckles Clan echidna. You're reading your dad's journals right?" I glanced briefly at the knapsack still on the floor near me. "You might find out about their marriage and how it came to be. Really changed him around from the man he once was."

Since he brought it up, I was only halfway through dad's second journal. I haven't been reading it lately since I've had a lot to do between my regular school studies, Guardian studies, and chores at home. On top of occasional outings with Tiara. Not really sure if they're legitimate dates though… At that moment, a light knock came on the door and Tikal called out from the other side.

"It's alright," I said and she came in…with my present in her hands?

"Sorry if I was interrupting your two," she said timidly.

"Oh no sweetheart. You're fine," said Uncle Kal.

"Um, Tiara stopped by a little earlier and dropped this off. She said it was your birthday present. I was going to give it to you when you came upstairs but…"

"It's fine," I said crossing the room to take it from her. "Thanks."

She smiled and began to back out of my room.

"Mom's gonna start making dinner soon," she said.

"Alright. Thank you Tikal," said Kal.

She left and closed the door quietly. Just then I heard Uncle Kal chuckle and saw him giving me sly smile.

"Is that the reason you were out with your girlfriend today?" he said.

"Y-yeah," Just thinking back to being in the antique shop with her was enough to raise my spirits. "I already know what it is though. I'll show it to you and aunt Lily later. Maybe you two can help me figure out what it is." I slid the present under the bed next to my suitcase and went back to sitting on the bed. "You know, mother mentioned promises she made to others that she'd raise me properly. And then right after the argument, grandfather Sabre called but she lied to him about what happened…"

Uncle Kal sighed and rolled his eyes. I guess what dad wrote in his journal about grandfather Sabre wasn't an exaggeration. That he didn't approve of his sons' actions and had a strained relationship with them.

"The mark of a true Guardian," Kalek began laughing pathetically and shaking his head. "Somehow, they always know when they're needed. To be honest, I don't know what Yuna-Li's exact promises were and who she made these promises to but I'm sure Sabre was one of those folk and frequent updates on your well-being was part of the deal."

I started to get the feeling that anymore questions to uncle Kal would get me nowhere on understanding mother. And he reached the same train of thought as well judging by the next thing he said to me.

"Knuckles, you're definitely exhibiting your father's traits," he said. "Curiosity in those close to you and the drive to do what you feel is right. If you're truly interested in understanding Yuna-Li better then I think you'd do well to speak with her the next time you see her. If she's in the mood for opening up of course."

He waited for a response from me but my gaze just went back to the knapsack with father's journals in them. Suddenly, uncle Kal stood to leave and just as he reached the bedroom door the door bell rang. Our eyes met and I was sure that we were thinking the same thing: mother had stopped by. Whether it was to take me home or to formally announce her abandonment of me was up in the air. When we reached the top of the stairs, Tikal had peeked her head out her bedroom just as we passed by, and aunt Lily had answered the door. She greeted mother who walked in dressed in an overcoat and wearing black sunglasses to hide the eye bruise I gave her. To my slight surprise, she wasn't taking me back or giving up on me. Mother had a blue duffle bag with her and handed it to Lily.

"Here's a few things Knuckles might need since I assume he'll be staying with you for a while," she said in an eerily subdued tone.

"Thank you Yuna-Li." Lily took the bag after closing the front door.

"We'll be sure he keeps to whatever schedule you have him on," uncle Kal said as he descended the steps.

I wasn't sure if mother was looking at me when she gazed up so I was sure not to show any signs of anger towards her.

"Thank you Kalek," mother said. "I hope this wasn't an inconvenience for you."

"Nonsense! You're family! Knuckles is more than welcome to stay with us whenever he likes," said uncle Kal.

"Of course. May I speak with him alone?"

All three adults looked up at me. I sighed and took the first step down the stairs deciding to follow uncle Kal's advice and use this chance to at least understand mother just a little. Conveniently, a beeping timer went off in the kitchen and aunt Lily left my bag in the foyer and rushed to tend to whatever food was on the stove while Kal went back to the den probably to watch TV or study or whatever. After mumbled greetings to each other, Mother and I headed into the living room. She sat on the white couch while I took the armchair adjacent to it and for a few moments nothing was said between us. I figured I could get things going with the most obvious question.

"Why did you bring that stuff here?" I said.

"Since there's a high possibility you'll be here for an extended time, I thought you'd might need some of your personal hygiene items and such," she said.

"Forgive me for saying this but I don't believe you."

"Hmph. Fine then. After you left, I had some time to mull over my thoughts while cleaning up the mess we made and it dawned on me that I had given myself the solution to our problem with the last words I spoke to you."

"That I respect a hard worker even if I disagree with them personally?"

"Precisely. Given that I've been somewhat hushed about my personal life, I realized that in order for our relationship to improve I would have to let down my guard and allow you into my heart."

This was all starting to smell a little too fishy. Something must've happened after I left. Mother wouldn't easily cave in and start being humble all of the sudden. Not when she's a strong believer in the righteousness of traditional echidnas. When I voiced my thoughts she just laughed it off as something harmless.

"Do you _really_ doubt that I have your best interests in mind?" she said.

"I don't even have to point out that you and I both have different ideas of what's best for me," I said.

"Fair enough. You are, after all, young and ignorant of many dangerous things in this world."

I'll let that slide. From there mother, or better yet Yuna-Li since my fear of her authority has begun to wane, figured she'd start with her childhood divulging that her family (consisting of her parents and someone called an…_au pair_) loved her very much and provided for her everything she needed. She also mentioned that she was close with the au pair.

"Tessa was a true sweetheart. From the Island Clan. Very intuitive and understanding of my feelings," said mother.

An Island echidna huh? From what I've head from the other students at the Sacred House, women from that clan are extremely beautiful. Yuna-Li continued her story speaking of how close her mother was to her family and high-class friends and acquaintances. Though interacting with them was much like walking on eggshells. Her father, while a traditional as well, came from a simple middle class family…and the upper-crusts made no discrepancies between the middle and the poor. So despite following her heart and marrying a man she genuinely loved, Yuna-Li's mother still wanted to maintain a presence among her family and peers and that required that she continued to live a lavish lifestyle.

"Part of me realized, at an early age, how foolish my mother was trying to remain among those people while relying _solely_ on my father," she said. "It's not that he lacked the income. He actually busted his butt through college to get a well paying job that satisfied her but…I honestly have little respect for old-fashioned women. Relying on a bread-winning husband to provide for them…"

If there's one thing I honestly must thank her for it's for imprinting her "independent woman" persona in my head. While I have felt sorry for her for all the times she's come home tired and forces herself to make dinner for us, it did inspire me to seek out a girl who's similar to her. Though a little less bitchy and uptight. Her story continued into her adolescent years where the delicate social balance her mother struggled with began to crumble. Her father took a job as an assistant to some political figure's assistant. Grunt work mostly. While it still brought in decent money, his long absences from home (and the usual social events) stirred up rumors among the bored wealthy. Rumors that trickled down from mother to daughter.

"Pardon my language," funny she's conscious of that now. "but it was a pain in the ass to deal with. Brushing off their gossip at school and at my mother's social events that I _had_ to attend."

Needless to say, there was an apparent strain on her parents' relationship because of this. But Yuna-Li kept her temper with the help of Tessa who became a crucial part of her life at this point. Things only took a turn for the worst towards the end of her senior year in high school. A shady letter was mailed to their home containing a "damning" photo of Tessa and Yuna-Li's dad out at a café in downtown Albion. Given that the father was coming home less and less at this point, allegedly because of campaign work and whatnot, and Tessa was taking more days off from her duties at home, Yuna-Li's mother jumped to the shadiest conclusion…with the help of a nasty note that accompanied the photo.

"All hell broke loose when dad finally came home on a break from his job," said Yuna-Li. "They argued loudly, dishes were broken and things were thrown, and finally dad packed up whatever belongings he could before my mother's rampage became unbearable." She paused staring off into the foyer where the stairs were. "Tessa was fired, obviously."

The way she spoke those last few words suggested that incident was probably the breaking point for her. I waited while she fought back the meager tears in her eyes before continuing.

"She was too stubborn," her voice was cracked. "If only she realized that she couldn't have everything she wanted in the world and still lived the life she was accustomed to."

Really, there was nothing that I could honestly say that would be remotely contributive at this point but it was fine as she kept going into her college years. With Yuna-Li and her mother suffering from a considerable emotional distance, going off to college was laughably easy for her to do…at least until she got there and realized some of her upper-class acquaintances were there as well. The nasty treatment she got for having divorced parents was much worse than the filthy gossip she endured years before. Pranks ranging from property defacement to minor physical harassment that could be waved off as "rough housing" ensued. Yet the most disturbing "prank" of all (a gross understatement of the act) came during her sophomore year. She was out downtown one night on her way to a party she received an invite for. It was from the wealthy acquaintances and while Yuna-Li was a bit shady at first, she was sure that she still had at least one kind ally among the bunch and decided to go thinking that the invite was all due to this trusted ally. But upon arrival she discovered that the invite was a "mistake" and was promptly turned away at the door.

"The one girl who was kind to me, and I mean kind as in not as vicious as the others, was only pressured into sending me the invite. I guess she could only play two sides of the field for so long before being forced to choose." She twirled a piece of her hair between her fingers while she mused over her statement.

On the walk back to the student dorms, she was mugged by a grimy outsider. Outsider being the general term elite echidnas use to describe anyone that isn't an echidna. She was forced into a nearby empty building…and shot twice by a gun he concealed and robbed of the little valuables on her. She wasn't sure how long she lied in that building (the shot to her leg and abdomen made it all foggy), but eventually she mustered up the strength to stagger out onto the street for help. Yuna-Li remembers seeing her vicious acquaintances across the street looking in her direction…and then just walking back to the apartment where the party was held as if her life wasn't in the balance.

"It was obvious that they knew what was going to happen because they set me up…probably paid that outsider to do such an unspeakable thing to me," she said nibbling on a nail. "I was sure I was going to bleed to death on that sidewalk…but thankfully someone came by and noticed the blood on my clothes just before I passed out."

She was rushed to the hospital and operated on. Stayed there for almost a month with her own mother only visiting once to ask when she would be discharged. Even though it was a traumatic experience, she was able to give a vivid description of the criminal which led to a swift arrest. As for any attempts to pin the catalysts for the event…

"There was no point in trying to blame those people," said Yuna-Li. "They used a homeless wandering man as their proxy and could've easily used the convenient store around the corner as an alibi for when they briefly left their party. Not to mention they had some pretty damn good lawyers serving their families."

So karma never came to them, I assumed. At least for the short time after that incident. It was at this point where she began her ascent into who she is today. Yuna-Li stuck with her physical rehabilitation for the months after her release (recovering at a speed that even her therapist remarked as "unheard of") while keeping her nose to the books and shutting out the world. Over time she climbed the academic ranks in her classes. It obviously paid off as she was among the top graduates in her class, earned an internship with an event planning company after graduation, which turned into her first paid job. From there, she did nothing but rub elbows with the very people she grew up despising, planning their events and crafting their much needed public image. Becoming their puppeteer of sorts. Her way of serving her own brand of justice. All of her hard work paid off as she eventually found her way into the social circle of my family of Guardians and relatives.

"That's how I first met Sabre. It was at a fundraising event he was a guest at and we only talked briefly but I imagine that I left quite an impression on him as he contacted me months later to help put together and event for him. After several meals together and plenty of discussions over business and personal thoughts…he asked me how I felt about becoming the wife of his son, the next Guardian of the Master Emerald." A smiled appeared on her face. One of childish glee. "I was flabbergasted…but eventually accepted his offer. But then I found it strange when I discovered that your father was already in a committed relationship with Lara-Le. Were it any other person offering this arranged marriage, I'd be suspicious but I soon discovered that Guardians are often drawn to foreseeing events."

I was just about to question what the hell she meant but Yuna-Li just continued on without missing a beat. A few years later, she eventually got her chance to marry my dad after my birth mother died and that's pretty much it for her grim story. I guess uncle Kal wasn't exaggerating when he said she jumped through hoops to get to this point in her life. And I kinda understand her hostility towards anyone who is different from her or at least has different opinions from her. But it still doesn't explain her overprotective nature of me.

"Oh that?" she said returning to her usual snobbish self. "Knuckles, I married into the Guardian family. In our culture, Guardians are revered just as much as the Mobian Monarchy so obviously I have an obligation to your lineage to raise you properly. Even more so being your mother's replacement."

…Again, just let that one _slide_. With our impromptu bonding session over, she stood up to return home not bothering to inform my aunt or uncle.

"I apologize for any physical pain I may have given you but I stand by my beliefs," Yuna-Li said as she opened the door and looked back at me. "You come from a lineage that's given you so much talent so to see it go to waste on those beneath you…would be disheartening."

"You forgot to mention that you have a promise to my grandfather as well as my lineage. That's why he called earlier after our fight, right?"

"Of course, him." She laughed as if she found it silly to have almost forgotten about his contribution. "I'm in debt to him more than anyone else. Especially for giving me this opportunity to outshine those who looked down on me in the past. Don't let us down Knuckles. That's all I ask."

Just then, aunt Lily came from the kitchen surprised to see Yuna-Li leaving so soon. Personally, I felt that hearing her story took an eternity. Naturally, she politely turned down the offer to stay for dinner and was gone. I headed back upstairs to the guest room (aunt Lily informing me that dinner would be ready soon), closed the door, and threw myself on the bed. I considered reading more of dad's journals to see if he wrote anything about marriage…but felt better catching up on my Sacred House studies. I can't bring myself to agreeing on one emotion about her. Should I pity her and her emotionally conflicting upbringing? Should I praise her for her strength of overcoming it all? Or should I just remain bitter towards the upturned nose attitude she developed as a result? Not being able to decide on how I want to feel about mother is only going to make returning home all the more difficult. Logic and practicality be damned. I've truly become stuck between a rock and a hard place.

* * *

_After writing for years, I've learned a few things through my works: Loving or hating a character should have no bearing on how well a writer can handle them in a story. Once an understanding of their core personality has been accomplished, the writer is then free to stretch them as they wish or stick to the established formula of that character._

_I think this is what makes fanfiction so fun. Just doing whatever the hell one wants so long as it's played out in an entertaining and coherent manner.  
_


	26. Paranoia and Romance

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Paranoia and Romance**

_March  
_With the changing of the seasons comes many changes. Some of them eventual like me finally warming up to Mighty and his ever-so-positive friendly disposition, Knuckles and Tiara becoming more relaxed and confident with their relationship…and Knuckles moving in with his relatives down the road from his house. I wasn't too surprised when Tikal first broke the news to me last month. But now…I'm starting to think that he may never go back. I've never seen him so happy before. Even to the point where he's making snarky jokes…well not as snarky as the ones Sonic told but more on the level of minor social commentary more than anything.

"His stepmother seemed to take his departure pretty well. She even brought over a few of his things the night he came to our house," Tikal said as she and I sat on a bench in the park watching Knuckles and Tiara talk as they sat on the playground swings.

"Seriously? Was she pissed off?" I said.

"No. Just brought over a bag of his things and then she and Knuckles talked for a while," she said. "I don't know about what though. Privacy you know." Tikal added quickly before I could even ask.

I'd say that she was planning something but since it's been a month I guess the old witch really is okay with Knuckles living with his relatives. I figured she'd be too egotistical to let him go so easily. Maybe she finally recognized that he's going through that stage of life where teenagers just need to break off from their parents. I'll even take it as far as saying that the relationship between her and Knuckles could actually improve from this time apart. Of course that all depends on if the stepmother's sympathy for Knuckles is genuine and not just done of out obligation in hopes for his return soon.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see if things really do get better between them," I said. "My dad used to tell me that the most important parts of his relationship with mom were the times they spent away from each other."

"Aw, that's so earnest of him," said Tikal.

"He also said that getting drunk with his friends was just as important too…so long as it didn't affect things between him and mom. But that was years ago when they were still dating."

I tried my best to laugh off my dad's typical male behavior. And so did Tikal judging from her nervous laughing. Just then, some kids ran by us heading for the baseball field and Tikal and I clearly heard them mention Sonic's name with some enthusiasm. Lately he's been a hot topic around town. Not because he's returned but because of what he's done in the last few months. A few months ago Sonic uncovered a secret factory built by the terrorist, Dr. Robotnik. Not his first attempt. There was another factory infiltrated by G.U.N. and shut down years ago when I was a toddler but this one was way different. Apparently he captured Mobians from places he would invade for mining resources and sent them to the factory where they would be transformed into robots using a process called "roboticization". Once all the facts about the function of the place were all over the news, as well as how Sonic and a group of other Mobians helped exposed it leading to the Mobian Army shutting it down, it was pretty much all people talked about. On TV, at school, everywhere! It even reignited the issue of G.U.N. placing more of their bases on Mobian continents. Some don't mind since there are already a few bases here with Mobians in their ranks while others really hate the idea because we already have our own army. My parents seem to look the other way since they never had anything to do with either army. As far as I know. According to one of my older teachers, the political and social issues of Mobius haven't been this heated for decades.

"I wonder how Sonic is handling all of this publicity," I said to Tikal as I watched the kids sprint towards the baseball field.

"It's hard to say since cameras can only get a glimpse of him taking off," Tikal said with a giggle. "You would think he would be all for standing before the press and expressing himself especially after helping those Freedom Fighters shut down the factory."

"Oh so that's what they call themselves?" I turned back to Tikal.

"No, it's a name the media gave them. I think it's pretty cool and fitting of them."

Has a nice ring to it too. I'm willing to bet that somewhere some TV producer is trying to figure out how to cash in on the name and turn it into a "thing." It was then when I felt a sudden jolt in my brain...like I was forgetting something. Usually looking at the time served as a good reminder of my schedule and I glanced at my wrists and searched my pockets for my watch. Ah…must've left it on my nightstand…or under the bed…or somewhere in my room. I'll never get used to wearing that thing even though I asked mom to buy it for me.

"Looking for something?" Tikal asked after I stood as if that would help in searching deeper into my pockets.

"Time. I'm just trying to find out what time it is but…I clearly left my watch at home." I tossed my arms up in defeat.

"Oh it's a little after two," she said looking at her white cellphone that was easily kept in her tiny, black, crossbody purse.

I thought about nagging my parents for a cellphone but considering the M.I.A. status of my watch and my lax social habits… In any case, I remembered what I forgotten. I promised Mighty that I'd help him out with his grocery shopping today. He said he was getting more than he usually did and needed some help taking it home. I took off, informing Tikal of my prior engagement, and sprinted to the plaza as fast as I could since, due to the missing watch, I was already late. The frantic dash was probably unnecessary since Mighty was waiting happily outside of the grocery store, a large building separate from the main avenue of shops that made up the plaza.

"I had my doubts that you'd even come," Mighty said beaming brighter than the sun itself.

"But…I promised…and I don't…make promises that often," I said hunched over and slightly icky from the bit of sweat underneath my arms.

"True, true. But I invited someone else along anyways as a fallback plan."

Overly friendly yet underhandedly cautious. Not sure which one bothers me more. The plus one in question was Vector who was leaning on one of the brick pillars nearby. He had his snout stuck to his phone, possibly reading his texts or wandering through the internet. I couldn't help but get the feeling that karma was teasing me in some way… The crocodile joined us after Mighty called him over and we all headed into the store, Vector pushing the shopping cart. An hour was spent going down the shopping list. Most of the time was spent deciding what brand to get since Mighty mad it clear that price wasn't an issue. And another eight or nine minutes went to standing in the shortest of the all the long lines for the six open cash registers. Fishy, how grocery stores always seem to be stingy with staff even on busier days. I suggested using the self-checkout lane but Mighty said there was a cashier friend he wanted to chat with. Checkout went rather smoothly with me just hanging on to the shopping cart while Vector took to bagging the food and Mighty talked cheerily with the feline cashier. The total of this mini shopping spree was a lot but only half of what mom usually spent for two weeks of groceries on our family. I think my jaw hung open as I watched the armadillo hand over a few large bills to his friend and received his exact change. Maybe bringing Vector along was more for protection than a "fallback plan."

Once outside, it decided that we would take the local transit back to Mighty's place. Sure it would take us a bit out of our way but considering that all of us had at least two or three bags to carry, it would be a little more convenient than a thirty-five minute walk. So we waited on the transit bench a little ways from the store entrance. The next bus wouldn't come for about fifteen minutes. Almost as soon as we sat down, with me in the middle and the boys at my sides, they both pulled out their phones and busied themselves. Vector's a slick, black, rectangular spectacle and Mighty's a little red and black delight with a sliding touchscreen that revealed a tiny keypad. …I can think of more subtle ways to dangle a carrot.

"So!" I declared to break up the tension in my head. "How about that graduation…"

"Oh yeah! So, are you planning to throw any graduation parties Vector?" Mighty said pulling his attention away from his phone.

"I've been getting invites left and right for a few," Vector said as he turned off the screen on his phone. "Some of them are for the high school downtown but I haven't accepted any."

"I had no idea you were that popular," I said.

"Well I still have a few friends I stay in touch with over there. But it's mostly due to me dating Rouge for that short time. Seems like she knew a lot of people downtown despite going to our school."

A longing look briefly flashed across his face as he thought back on the girl who suddenly disappeared from his life. I'd be a bit bitter towards Rouge for what she did to Vector but it seemed like she had her own troubles considering the confusion and mess Shadow caused for her. It's like a disturbing web with all points leading back to that arrogant jerk.

"Well whatever you decide to do, at least it'll be a blast. Always make those last memories count as I always say," said Mighty lifting up the atmosphere a bit.

"And yet I've _never_ heard you say it once since the start of the school year," I smirked.

"I think saying it a few seconds ago counts, so there!"

Mighty and I laughed it off together. He's done a pretty good job grabbing onto my sarcasm and playing off of it. Vector even commented on how well we compliment each other.

"It's like you're his other half to his cheerful, social commentating ways. Down-to-earth, straight-forward, and snarky. B-but not like those popular mean girls. You do it just for a good laugh," said Vector.

I do take a lot of pleasure in breaking up tension with the blatant honesty.

"Wouldn't be surprised if you two started dating in high school." And suddenly the smiles between me and Mighty faded. "Nothing like prom king or queen but definitely a well known and well liked couple."

Mighty cleared his throat and quickly took to randomly browsing through his phone's features while I shuffled my feet uneasily.

"Ah! Struck a nerve did I? Didn't mean to embarrass you two, it's jut my opinion y'know. Haha."

And that's all it'll ever be. An opinion. I wasn't really mad at him or anything it's just…it feels weird thinking about a boy I'm just friends with as someone I'm dating. I'm not sure how I can put it… The thought of being in love with someone I know, or just some guy I met, feels…embarrassing. I'm still trying to grasp at why teens are all over things like this. For me, just being friends is fine. Why do others have to insist that it means something more? Thankfully, the arrival of the transit bus brushed away the awkward moment and the three of us stood gathering the bags of groceries. A few seconds later, after Vector paid the fare for all of us, the short, blue bus left the plaza and navigated through the many neighborhoods of the burbs.

It was about forty-five minutes later when we arrived at our designated stop in front of my apartment complex. The three of us, along with an elderly man, got off the bus and it drove off heading towards the school.

"I think we can take it from here Vector," Mighty said after bunching his three bags into one hand leaving his left hand free. "My place is just beyond those trees over there."

"Alright then," Vector said handing off his bags to Mighty. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Even with his departure, the tension still didn't ease up. I guess the both of us were still slightly embarrassed by Vector's offhand comment. Mighty cleared his throat and led the way to the grove of trees. Making our way through wasn't really a hazardous task. A slightly clear path, probably walked by others besides us, made carrying the groceries a non-issue. But that stilted atmosphere was still there. While I was busy with wandering thoughts, I failed to notice that Mighty had fallen back a little to walk alongside me.

"Still bothering you?" the sound of his voice caused me to jump a little.

"Huh? Oh that! No no it's just…random things that's all," I said faking a smile.

However, he laughed.

"Looks like I found one thing you're really bad at lying about," Mighty said as he nudged me in the arm. "It's okay. It's just the two of us now. I don't mind if you acted a little more girly at the thought of having someone 'like' you."

"Hey!" I wanted to swat at him but the bags weighed down my arms so I ended up stumbling ungracefully in his direction instead.

Mighty jogged ahead a little to dodge my pathetic efforts and his laugh only served to inflate the embarrassment I couldn't get rid of. But he eventually apologized and rejoined me at my side.

"If it bothers you that much, I'll stop," he said. "What Vector said caught me off guard too so you weren't the only one feeling stupid back there."

Good. We can finally move away from this and talk about…well whatever cheery subject Mighty wants to go on and on about.

"Although…" Seriously. Really? "I do have to wonder what kind of guy a girl like you is attracted to."

Strangely, and disturbingly, my mind jumped straight to Shadow. As much as he pisses me off, my heart couldn't deny an attraction to him. I'll admit that there are a few legitimate reasons why; our ability to read each other well, the emotional understanding we have, and the fact that he just carries himself with much more confidence than most boys my age. On the flip side that confidence does overtake him too often and knowing me well means he can get under my skin with his blunt opinions. And yet him murdering someone hasn't turned me off completely. Well…it wasn't just _someone_ he killed. It was Lucas. Even Silver would show a tiny bit of gratitude over that. In any case, admitting that Shadow was my unwanted crush wouldn't be too smart of me so I just played the defensive card as usual.

"No one you know or would be interested in," I said in a flat tone.

"Really? Not even little ol' me?"

"You? Seriously? Maybe you should slow down before you end up like Knuckles and embarrass yourself in front of half the school."

"And then I'll end up with the most popular girl a few months from now."

Again he laughed and this time I just nudged him in return with my arm. We finally emerged on the other side of the grove and walked a few houses down to his backyard. From there we entered his house through the kitchen door in the back. Being my first time in his home, I immediately picked up on the distinct scents of the slightly old and small home. The sound of the TV playing in the living room could be heard clearly and, lit up partially by a lamp in the same room, I could see a middle-aged armadillo with brown hair lean back in her armchair to get a better look at us.

"Did you get everything Mighty?" his aunt asked, the armchair squealing loudly as she got up.

"Yep, it's all here." Mighty and I set the groceries down on the small, circular kitchen table.

His aunt, dressed in a flowery nightgown and bed slippers, waddled into the kitchen and smiled at me. Apparently that brighter-than-the-sun smile ran in the family.

"You must be Blaze," she said offering her hand. "Mighty talks about you pretty often. Had me and his uncle thinking you're his girlfriend."

"I keep telling you it's nothing like that!" Mighty protested as he started to put away the groceries.

After my brief handshake with Belle (she introduced herself), I pitched in to help with the groceries while listening to the two go on about Mighty's personal life.

"Don't get mad at me for assuming Mighty," Belle continued on. "You have so many friends. Doesn't he Amos?"

"Thirty-six last I counted," said a deep voice from the living room.

"There, you see Blaze? I was starting to worry that he was just meeting people and leaving them behind without getting to know them. And then one day, out of the blue, he starts talking abut you."

From behind me, I could hear Mighty groan as he stuck his head in the refrigerator to put away a few packs of sandwich meat. Suddenly, I found myself being led out of the kitchen by Belle and into the dimly lit living room. A multitude of family portraits covered the far wall where the three-seating couch was set. In the corner to the right of the couch sat the old but still functioning TV set showing some old movie that my parents are probably more familiar. The curtains were closed over the large rectangular window opposite the TV and next to the armchair Belle was previously seated in. Possibly to cut down on glare during the daytime. And in another armchair next to the kitchen entrance was Mighty's uncle, Amos. An armadillo with a slightly larger build than Belle and heavy bags under his eyes. Both of his legs (the left in a thick cast) rested on a cushy ottoman that matched the faded blue hue of the chair he sat in.

"So you're the popular Blaze Mighty goes on about almost everyday," the incapacitated man said as we shook hands. "I'd get up but as you can see haha…"

"It's fine." I said.

"I think you're the first person who honestly stumped that boy when he met you. I tell ya, I'd never seen Mighty get obsessed with trying to be friends with someone. Belle and I were pretty sure he had a crush on you or something."

"IT WAS NOTHING LIKE THAT!" Mighty shouted from the kitchen.

"Don't be such a hard ass about it boy! We're just teasing you!" Amos laughed heartily again while Belle went back to her armchair. A few seconds later Mighty joined us in the living room continuing what was really just another normal conversation for this family.

"I was just worried about her walking home alone because of what happened last summer, remember?" Mighty said on the verge of desperation.

"But it would be nice if you found yourself a cute little girlfriend," said Belle. "You're always so busy with school activities and all of your little friends. Don't you want to just slow down and spend some time with a girl?"

"Nah, nah Belle. That boy's got too much of that stubborn streak from your sister," said Amos. "You remember how she was. Always working herself to the bone for her family."

"Well she did have a bookworm reputation in high school. Wouldn't be surprised if lil' Mighty turned out the same way. Friendly and smart. The best of your parents!"

As they laughed at their family dynamic, I found myself amused at Mighty's exhausted expression and rolling eyes. He then began to lead me out the back door telling his aunt and uncle that he'd walk me back to my place and return soon to help with dinner preparations. Once outside, I playfully patted him on his back as he sighed out the rest of his frustration from the conversation.

"Glad to see that you're not all smiles and sunshine at home," I said.

"That was one of our tame conversations. They didn't get into all the little embarrassing secrets of my dad's family like what's happened at past family reunions and weird habits and hobbies," said Mighty.

"But why would that bother you? It's just the three of you at home."

"Until one of the neighbors comes over and Belle starts gossiping with them. Then interacting with the neighbors at a cookout or something becomes awkward and frustrating with my face getting as red as my shell."

"Okay, so a few friendly neighbors know strange things about your family, so what."

"No Blaze!" He actually felt the need to stop me just as we entered into the grove behind his neighborhood. "You don't get it. Back in Knothole my dad's family has this really…outlandish reputation because of all the…odd behaviors and things they've done in public. My dad's the more sane of his siblings and relatives. Once you start going through aunts, uncles, and cousins on that side of the family…I wouldn't be able to explain some of the stuff they've done and why I'm related to them!"

It was then when I realized that we had gone off on a completely different tangent that had nothing to do with the actual conversation held inside Mighty's home. Why was Mighty so bothered by his aunt and uncle teasing him about liking me? Especially when he was doing the exact same thing to me just before we arrived at his place.

"…You actually like me don't you?" I ask smirking and raising an eyebrow.

Mighty dropped his panic expression and straightened himself out. He glared in my direction as if I had challenged him in some way…and then kept going towards my place.

"What about you?" he said as I followed.

"I believe I asked first," I responded.

He stopped again and sighed. I watched as he shook his head, bringing his hand to his forehead, and slowly turned to face me.

"Okay fine. Though it's more like curiosity than genuine affections. I…enjoy being around you. Especially now that you've opened up to me over the past few months. I wasn't immediately attracted to you when we first met, just honestly concerned about your feelings since a lot of kids were still nervous or scared at the time because of what happened last summer."

"And you want to do whatever you can to help others who need it," I said.

"Yeah. If anything, you've shown me how being that way can be a little annoying which is really nice. Most people would just smile and slowly distance themselves without a complaint. You…were upfront about your feelings towards me. Didn't care if it hurt me or not."

Not entirely true. I do think briefly on whether or not my words or actions will hurt someone. In the end, I end up adjusting my reaction or response to fit the person. So everyone gets a different flavor of bluntness from me.

"I pegged you as a hardheaded type of guy, so I figured you could handle a little criticism," I said turning up my nose a little.

"Haha! I knew it wouldn't take you long to figure me out. I guess I'm just an open book," said Mighty.

We shared another light laugh and for a few seconds, neither of us could figure out what to say. And then Mighty began to take a few steps back towards his neighborhood.

"I think you'll be fine. No need to make this more awkward than it needs to be," he said scratching his head.

"You're the one who wouldn't leave the romance bit alone," I said smiling.

"True, true. I'll see you Monday I guess."

I gave a silent wave in return and we went our separate ways. It wasn't until I could see my apartment building that a familiar chill ran down my spine. I stopped and searched around me for any signs. None around me or up in the trees. I decided to call him out of whatever hiding place he was in.

"Just get out here Shadow. You're starting to get predictable." I crossed my arms and waited.

A few seconds later and the familiar blue light flashed behind me accompanied by a light breeze.

"Predictable you say? I guess I need to change my stalking tactics," said Shadow.

"Or you could stop." It turned to face him. "What is it now?"

No response. Just a disappointed glare, a tilt of his head, and his arms crossed was enough for me to translate.

"It was just a conversation. I don't even have the same 'maybe' feelings that he has for me."

"Your bold defiance impresses me," Shadow began. "However, it's wasted on garbage."

"Oh forgive me master!" I said imitating the overdramatic acting of classic films. "Is there some self-righteous act of yours I should be devoting my time to? I only ask so I may not waste my talents and personality on silly things like…living my life and having friends!"

The black hedgehog groaned in pure annoyance of my sarcasm. I figured I would've gotten at least a tiny smile out of him or a witty response. Not this. He approached me with a serious expression I hadn't seen since last summer and grabbed my left arm…with a much gentler grip this time.

"I've contemplated giving you the same treatment I gave Espio…harsh, unbridled, training with expectations only surpassed by those of the gods." Our noses nearly touched. "However, I can't keep myself from spoiling you."

As Shadow released me, his hardened expression melted away into sorrow…or worry. It's hard to tell as it's a rare sight to see anything other than anger, smugness, or a menacing glare on his face. Maybe I should take this a little more seriously. His adamant feelings towards Mighty I mean. If he was serious about what he said a few months ago over by the chapel, then Shadow isn't just concerned about me. He's totally obsessed. I'm pretty sure that's more dangerous than him going on a temper tantrum rampage.

"If he dies by my hands then I can't be blamed for it," Shadow suddenly said with his back turned to me.

"…What?" When he tells a joke he makes it very clear that it's a joke. This wasn't a joke.

"If he continues on in this way around you then I will be forced to take action."

Even though Shadow doesn't make surprise visits to me that often (I've only seen him twice since December), his sudden statement is a clear sign that he's losing his grip on reality. He would've done something by now if he was stalking me around the clock…so I'm willing to bet that he's been off doing other things on the side and, once again, whatever he's done has pushed him to the deep end.

"Are we going to have a repeat of last summer?" I said being cautious of my tone. "You haven't forgotten how ugly that turned out, have you?"

Shadow came back to me this time with a genuine sympathetic look in his crimson eyes. He stood close…enough to feel fading, warm remnants of his breathing on my nose. His right hand came up and cupped my chin…the other delicately grabbed my fingers.

"I can't always be around you because of my other commitments," he said. His breath had no distinct smell to it. Strange. "And it kills me because you have so much potential within you. That's why the thought of you being destroyed hurts me. It'll shatter me as much as G.U.N. did years ago." He embraced me all of the sudden like a parent…or a worried lover. "It's clear that I can't force you to come with me and I don't have it within me to be heavy handed with you. So that leaves me with very few choices of how to protect you."

Again with the "protection" thing. Shadow backed away from the embrace and held my chin again. And then I watched the muscles in his cheek contract into a barely noticeable smile. …Oh dear. My face…I felt it flush up with warmth. No, no. I have to…do something! I laughed off his insanity the best I could and gently brushed him away to take a few steps back. His behavior was practically unreal like he blew a fuse or something.

"I'm not sure how many times I can say it but I don't need your protection Shadow," I said while holding my smile of disbelief. "And whatever threat you see in Mighty is practically nonexistent. He isn't bringing me down or being a bad influence on me. We're just friends and he just so happens to have a crush on me even though he didn't say those words exactly. I don't feel the same way about him. As far as I care, he's just another friend I added to my circle so back away from the murderous thoughts."

That seemed to have done the trick. His expression quickly went to one of defeat…or boredom and he tossed his arms in the air giving up on his paranoia.

"Fine! Have it your way. Since you're so sure that he won't have an influence on your feelings I suppose I can keep my distance. But don't think I'm taking my eyes off you."

"I gave up on trying to shake you off some time ago." No point in repeating myself over and over again every time he stops by. "Considering my stubborn objection to your stalking, I think we're pretty matched."

And there it was! That familiar smug demeanor. He turned to leave but there was one thing I just had to ask him.

"What, exactly, are those 'other commitments' you mentioned?" I said.

He smirked in a devilish way before responding.

"Nothing that'll push me to the deep end since that's what you were thinking," he said.

Still sharp as a needle. Shadow disappeared in his little blue flash and I continued on back to my apartment. It's really depressing when I start breaking down this situation. Shadow protecting me from Mighty, me protecting Mighty from Shadow, and Mighty…protecting himself from himself. Not exactly and endless circle of guarding but dizzying enough at best. I really am starting to miss the days where all I had to do was guard Silver from doing something obviously stupid. All I had to do then was distract him with something shiny or more interesting than what he was after. Actually…I think it's just Silver I miss.

* * *

_Not sure which couple I prefer. The equally friendly and normal Blaze/Mighty, the venomous vipermance of Blaze/Shadow, or the odd yet perfect pair of Blaze/Silver. I may just have her be an SSW (strong, single, woman). Can never go wrong with that, this **is** Blaze we're talking about. There's a little blue transit bus that goes around the small town I live in (and maybe a little ways outside it) and Mighty's phone is essentially my phone, outdated by today's standards. Ah yes, roboticization. Something I really liked about SatAM, the moral issues and whatnot surrounding it that is. I'm just planting seeds for something much, MUCH later._


	27. Silver: History of Orion and Felicity

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Silver: The Brief History of Orion and Felicity**

_April  
_While it's nice to have a slightly more open relationship with my parents, who are actually undercover G.U.N. agents, mom seems to have taken that newfound trust as a sign to almost double my chores. It's been unusually warm lately. So much so that pulling these weeds out of the garden in the front yard is steadily becoming unbearable. I took a bath this morning when I got up. I don't really want to take another when I'm done out here but… Just then I heard Bean call out from the sidewalk.

"YO LAWN MAN!" he bellowed loud enough for half the neighbors to hear. "Havin' fun soakin' up the rays?"

I knew he was trying to lighten up my obviously moody self but all I could muster up was a crouching glare in his direction. I must've looked like a troll from some fantasy story with so much dirt on me. Bean crossed the lawn heading for the walkway leading to the front door while I turned back and continued to pull out more stubborn weeds.

"Can't catch a break can ya?" the duck said.

"I can't even negotiate for one," I said after pulling out another weed with a large root attached to it. "Hey, what's a union? My dad said that I might have a chance against mom if I joined one."

"Pfft! How should I know? Sounds like boring adult stuff."

Bean may be a fountain of information, but I've come to realize that it's mostly just gossip and rumors. Being the _great_ friend that he is, he decided to sit on the sidelines and observe me pull more weeds out of the garden for the next few minutes. It almost got to the point where I was about to grab him and pull him down with me but then dad opened up the front door.

"You look like you need a break son," he said.

I stood nodding while wiping sweat off my forehead.

"Why don't you two come on in. There's some snacks and drinks on the dining table."

I dropped the gardening trowel without a second thought and was the first into the house with Bean close behind me. The snacks and drinks dad spoke of wasn't much. Just a bag of potato chips, a six-pack of root beer, and fruit punch set out on the table. I skipped over the chips and root beer and just settled for the punch while dad and Bean helped themselves to the other stuff. Not that I hated root beer it's just that carbonated drinks make me really burpy…more so than anyone else. It's got nothing to do with my powers though, at least according to mom. Just a little genetic quirk apparently.

"So how's baseball going for you?" dad asked Bean.

"Not really a great season for us but there's always next year," said my friend.

"I wouldn't let it get to you Bean. It's just Little League so have some fun before it gets serious in high school."

"Don't have to tell me twice sir!"

And they share a good, manly laugh over root beer and chips. I thought it felt a little unnatural how Bean got along so well with my dad as if _he_ was a part of this family. The most engaging conversation I had with dad, aside from the one where he and mom revealed that they were G.U.N. agents to me, had to be the discussion we had about mom's birthday present last year. Well…it wasn't really a discussion. It was more like cautious planning since mom doesn't handle surprises too well…or gifts. I'm still surprised dad's managed to work with her as a partner for so long. They're complete opposites.

"Hey, you never told me how your date with Honey went," Bean spurted out suddenly.

I nearly choked on my fruit punch, much of what was in my mouth spilling out onto my lap. In my haste to shut him up some of the punch ended up going down my trachea and I spent a good twenty seconds coughing while dad eyed me suspiciously.

"Huh," he said. "I could've sworn we agreed that you'd come to me first before setting up dates with your girlfriend."

Dad finding out that Honey and I were a couple was inevitable. I'm a little more closer to him than I am to mom for obvious reasons. While he has done his best to keep it a secret from mom, it came at the price of him being the watchful hawk over my relationship. Better than mom at least.

"It's not…like that," I got out in between coughs.

As soon as the coughs became a little les violent, I gave Bean a fairly hard punch in his arm that, luckily, wasn't holding his soda.

"Seriously?!" I said while Bean tried to laugh it off.

"Sorry dude, sorry! It just slipped," Bean said as he rubbed his arm after setting his soda on the table. "Come on, it's just your dad anyway. It's not like your mom is…"

His voice trailed off cautiously and Bean and I both looked at dad who nodded at us reassuringly.

"She's out. Consider yourself lucky," he said.

"See? It's all good."

Right…not quite sure what his idea of "good" is. Bean, being more aware of his words now, abruptly steered the conversation away from my relationship to other things I didn't really care about. After a few more minutes of forgettable banter between dad and Bean, my friend chugged down the last half of his root beer before excusing himself from the table. I, too, had just finished up my second cup of punch and had stood when dad stopped me.

"Not so fast," he said. "I think we need to have a little talk."

I guess dad was waiting for the right time to go back to the dating issue. As Bean headed out, I glared at him from my seat at the dining room table until he shut the front door behind him.

"Relax. I'm not going to dig into your little date with Honey. Nothing worth mentioning happened except for when that bird left a 'present' in your ice cream…"

How did he…? I had to ask.

"Dad, did you—"

"Yes-I-was-spying-on-you," he answered quickly as if it meant nothing. "But that's beside the point. SO…Blaze's mom and I met each other at a G.U.N. training facility just outside of Mobotropolis."

Wait, what? Where did this come from all of the sudden? I asked why the sudden change of topic and dad didn't feel it was necessary to properly explain himself. Well, not entirely true. He _did_ answer except…

"I'm in a chatty mood today. Plus, I think now's a good time to air out the rest of our valuable laundry. Especially with the winds changing direction…"

The last bit he uttered but loud enough for me to hear.

"The winds are changing? What are you talking about?" I said.

He ignored me and continued on about how he met Blaze's mom.

"Just thinking back on those days…can't believe she winded up here of all places," dad looked out the back porch at the few birds in the yard.

"Why? Did she get into trouble at training camp?" I said.

"It's a _training facility_ and, no, she didn't get into trouble. If I had to guess, based on the coincidences afterwards, trouble found _her_…in a way."

I didn't have to ask what dad was referring to with his use of words. If Blaze's powers are hereditary, then it's safe to assume that her mom has them too.

"So what happened at the facility?"

Dad finished off his second root beer and tossed the can overhead into the trash bin behind him…not sure if he was showing off or just being dramatic. According to him, he originally didn't plan on joining G.U.N.'s Mobian division. It was still thought of as "uncool" and "demeaning" among a lot of Mobians at the time…dad's words.

"In fact," he said. "I had my sights set a little higher. Wanted to get into Frederick Acorn Ivory League University…but I _failed_ their entrance exam."

…Slowly it dawned on me. The ironic joke I think dad was going for if what he said was true.

"So you failed to get into FAIL U?" I asked.

"Yeah funny huh? Although, in retrospect, I'm kinda glad I didn't make it. Most people I tend to hate these days are FAILumni."

He and I both chuckled at the word play but then he got serious again as he went back to his story. Apparently, passing the initial physical and comprehensive exams to get into the training facility weren't that hard. It was the second and third exams that weeded out the weak and passive recruits. After making it through the fourth and final exam, a nerve-wracking interview with selected higher ranking officers from the Mobotropolis base, dad was finally in along with fifty other Mobians which included Blaze's mom, Felicity.

"That's a pretty name," I blurted out caught up in dad's story.

"I thought so too," he said. "But she was a tough girl. Made it clear that her goal was to become a full fledged G.U.N. soldier and nothing more. Other guys may have been turned off by that but me…that only made me more curious of her. I figured she had to be hiding something. I just didn't think it'd be something so…supernatural."

Dad didn't waste any time in letting Felicity know that he was going to be tough competition for her. They were the best at everything. Weapons training, mission simulations, obstacle courses; they always came out on top over everyone else in their unit. But the competition was friendly, something that just became understood between them over time since they were too focused on maintaining their skills to casually hang out during their free time. In the few times dad did manage to talk to Felicity he found her to be interesting.

"She came off as durable and tough during our exercises, but turned out to be very soft spoken," he said. "Always preferred the quieter areas of the city as opposed to the noisy bars, clubs, or diners the other cadets went to on their time off. I was a gentleman so I never pried into her life. Figured I'd just listen and, eventually, something would slip out of her mouth sooner or later."

"Did you try talking about yourself first?" I asked. "Blaze usually doesn't say much about herself to someone new until she kinda understands the other person."

"You know, I did say a few things about myself. Well more like a lot of things actually…more than I would ever dare to say nowadays, heh heh." Dad paused to scratch the side of his head. "But I don't think that relaxed her guard if that's what you were suggesting, son. It probably did more to help us become friends but she still kept a tight lip on her reason for being there and what was driving her. It wasn't long, though, before I had a glimpse of what the reason might've been."

It was around six months after they had started when a familiar incident occurred in the girls' dormitory. A fire broke out suddenly in the middle of the night…and the only one who was seriously injured was Felicity. Although, according to dad and a few of the girls, her injuries were the result of helping one of her roommates escape their burning room. She was given recognition for her heroism and even allowed three weeks rest from training for her burn wounds to heal. Felicity took advantage of the offer…but suddenly decided to quit the program the following week.

"I wanted to ask her why and at least find out where she was going since I got the feeling that she didn't have family in the city," dad began. "But she upped and left quickly and was crafty enough to do it while our unit was out doing physical exercise training in the city."

The look on dad's face was a little weird. He wasn't sad, he wasn't angry…he just looked like he was thinking really hard. Or was having regrets about something.

"None of her roommates knew anymore than I did about her," he continued on. "It seemed like I was her 'closest friend' since I had a slightly better understanding of her personality and knew a few of her favorite things because of our chats in the city."

"Did you think about going after her?"

As soon as the last word left my mouth, I realized how stupid and childish that sounded. Geez, did I always say stuff like this around Blaze? Dad laughed shaking his head at my question.

"I only knew her for six months. Sure, I was curious like hell about her but that's how I usually am around pretty girls. While there was something painful behind her eyes, if she didn't want to risk having it all come out after that incident then that's her right. She was sweet but I had my own life to live…not to mention home for me was hundreds of miles away in a small town up north. No way I was going to drop out or fail training."

And he moved on after that. Both with the story and with his training until he became a full fledge soldier of G.U.N. and moved to his new home on the Mobotropolis base. Life was pretty routine for dad. He spent more time focusing on how to reach the higher ranks in G.U.N. and not so much on socializing. Then one day, out of the blue, he decided to go into the city for a stroll and ended up running into Felicity at a diner where she worked part time. It had been a year since they last saw each other at this point of the story. Just like before, they decided to go for a stroll through the park after her shift ended and picked up where they left off awkwardly a year before.

"The fur on her hands hadn't grown back in fully which I thought was strange," said dad. "It never bothered her and while she did get stares, Felicity manage to stave it off by putting on that motherly smile of hers…"

"Motherly?" I said. "But Blaze isn't that old dad…"

"I'm not saying she was pregnant. She just…had a smile that made you feel at ease when she wore it."

I was still confused by what that meant but I took his word for it and just imagined Blaze's mom looking pretty and younger than she is now. Felicity had enrolled into Mobotropolis University and seemed content with it according to dad. He also told her a bit about himself and what happened after she left G.U.N. training. Even invited Felicity to come and visit him on the base whenever she had a break from her classes. But instead of a response to that…she revealed to him the existence of her powers.

"At first I thought she was telling a bad joke," dad said after a chuckle. "A way to try and cope with the fire accident. …But then she demonstrated her powers for me. You can imagine how speechless I was."

That much goes without saying. I still don't remember what I was thinking when I first saw Blaze's powers with my own eyes.

"We went to a secluded place in the park and she sparked up a tiny flame in her hand out of thin air…like magic! I…I honestly had nothing to say and just stared at her which probably upset her. I do remember her getting embarrassed and tried to run away from me."

"What did you do?" I said.

"I stopped her, obviously. I didn't mean to react that way but since she dropped it so suddenly on me… Anyway I remember asking her all sorts of questions, most of which went unanswered. And then she countered with her own question. The question to end all questions if you will." By now dad was tracing a circle on the shiny wood surface of the dining room table. "She looked at me with those sad eyes of hers and said 'Will you keep it a secret?' And I agreed unconditionally for that pretty face of hers. It was obvious it took a lot of courage for her to make that request…and I still respect it 'til this very day."

I admire dad for being loyal to Blaze's mom but…it doesn't make a lot of sense. Yeah, I get wanting to go easy on pretty girls but doing that big of a favor for someone he only knew for a short time when he was younger... Dad's got to be a lot smarter than that since he's an agent of G.U.N. doing some secret mission that involves me. He has to be or he'd still be a soldier. After some more talk between them, it was dad who suggested that they get some ice cream to lighten the mood. He'd even offered to pay for it too. Felicity didn't mind but when they finally found a vendor nearby she suddenly disappeared on him while he was buying the ice cream. She was gone just like that. Just like she did a year ago and again dad was baffled.

"I didn't want to think that she was some sort of anti-social prankster so I assumed she had a legit reason for vanishing on me like that." He paused and thought for a second. "In fact, now that I think about it, a few uniformed human G.U.N. officials were near the vendor."

"Did they find out about her powers from the incident?"

"At the time I had no reason to think that was the case. But now? …I'm not really qualified to say what G.U.N. does and doesn't know. Information goes deep in the organization. There's even parts of our current mission your mother and I don't know about because the higher ups say we don't _need_ to know about them. So I can't say with confidence what G.U.N. does or doesn't know about Felicity and her family."

Not exactly reassuring to hear that…but not much I can do about it either. I'm sure Blaze and her parents can take care of themselves if something were to happen. Dad never saw Felicity after that. She even stopped working at the diner and he didn't want to get too many raised eyebrows from his superiors for going around the college campus and asking questions about her. That never became a problem as he got more involved with the G.U.N. military. Four years passed and dad climbed the ranks until one day he was approached by human officials from G.U.N.'s central branch over in Empire City. They invited him to take some kind of special test at the central branch which he accepted gladly.

"Had I known how long and strenuous the test was, I probably would've turned down the offer," said dad. "There was a point where I completely forgot that I was being tested. That's how long that thing lasted!"

"Huh? What kind of test was it?" I said.

"It's really hard to describe. At first it felt like just a typical relocation to a new city…until I arrived in Empire City. The tall skyscrapers, the busy streets, humans and Mobians walking around as if it was the norm. No amount of reading and studying human culture prepared me enough for total emersion into their world. It was daunting at first, but after befriending a few neighbors I came to see that it was no different from Mobotropolis…just bigger and busier."

"So living among humans was part of the test? Seems kinda strange."

"I thought so too since I was told very little about the test itself. Just 'You're being located to Empire City. Find work and report to your assigned officer on these dates.' I assumed it was a simulation of an undercover gig. Not really an uncommon thing to do as a G.U.N. agent. But, on the other hand, I never asked for hints or inside info on the test when I reported to my officer. I was dealing with the G.U.N. mothership now."

So asking questions in was frowned upon at the central branch? I guess that makes sense in order for a worldwide organization to keep a good hold on its soldiers. Dad followed whatever orders he was given and started over as a new citizen of a new city. Made a few friends, found descent work at a computer repair shop, and reported to the base every month as he was told. This went on for about a year (dad wasn't entirely sure on the timeframe) and then he was summoned to the base for a meeting with the officers running his test.

"That was the first time I met TigerRose, your mother," he said. "At least that's how everyone addressed her, never learned her real name. That was also when I found out that my codename was Orion…and was the last day I would ever hear anyone address me by my given name."

A name that I'll probably never know. After that, dad's transfer from the Mobotropolis branch to the Empire City branch was made permanent. He and TigerRose always lived near each other, held "cover jobs" near each other (their name for ordinary citizen jobs), and where always with each other when they went to the base for training. A new type of training that focused more on covert operations and stuff that he and mom would be doing from then on. That's when his life really took off and mom and dad were always away from the city on some secret mission every few months (I wondered how they managed to keep their "cover jobs"). The missions were mostly gathering information on potential terrorist groups, corrupt government officials, or even Mobians that G.U.N. considered to be a threat. Neither of them liked the notion of outing their own kind but it was their job now. A job they were sworn and contracted into. Four years later was when the big mission came. The one involving me.

"It was just weeks after the…space disaster," dad said his tone now low and serious. "TigerRose and I received a message that we were to be taken to Prison Island for our next mission. We knew that something was up since that isolated island was a strange place to receive a mission. We figured that maybe we were going to help with the transport of a dangerous criminal or something like that. But when we got there, the truth threw us both for a loop."

His eyes met with mine and he smiled bitterly.

"They took us to an isolated area of the infirmary ward and that's where we met you…sleeping soundly in a crib. The General of G.U.N. greeted us, told us our mission, and handed us the paperwork on everything we needed to know and minor facts about your background...which wasn't a lot of paperwork. Just a couple of sheets in a thin folder."

"Well I already know that you guys are suppose to raise me here and then send me back to G.U.N. when I'm an adult. Any chance you could slip me a little more info? Like why you're doing this or where I came from?" I said hoping my sad smile would squeeze something out of him.

He only laughed and rubbed my head playfully.

"Sorry kid. Classified information is classified," he said. "Honestly, we shouldn't have told you anything about the mission but think of that tidbit as a free sample. And to be honest with you, what I _am_ holding back isn't much. Seriously. If the info had a physical form, it'd be the size of a peanut. That's how little information we were given at the start. Whether or not you'll actually find out the whole story is for the higher-ups to decide. I'm just here to do as they say."

"But you get tired from it don't you?"

For a moment, dad didn't say anything and just thought about it with a finger laying over his lips. I don't think anyone's ever asked him that before…or maybe this is the first time he's thought about it critically.

"I like my life as it is," he said after a long minute. "It's been good to me so far."

Just when I thought his story ended there, it didn't. After going over their new identities and so forth, all of us were flown back to Mobotropolis and from there we were moved out here to Emerald Town to live a "cover life" as dad called it. Mom and dad assumed their roles as my parents and began their new mission of raising me as a normal kid with regular reports sent back to Empire City at six-month intervals. Dad was ready to live out a quiet and uneventful life with me and mom here…that is until he met Felicity again. It was a few years after the move here. My first day of kindergarten to be exact. They met during the school assembly that morning for new students and their parents which I barely remember. All I remember from that day was seeing Blaze standing behind her dad and looking around at everything like she was scared. She probably didn't notice me at the time.

"She was a sight for sore eyes. Barely aged since the last time I saw her," dad was starting to get that dreamy look in his eyes again. "Anyway, I told her my cover story. Left the military after five years, met your mom, and moved here a few months after you were born. Felicity's story was similar. She and her husband moved here while she was pregnant; to get away from Mobotropolis to some place quiet. I guess he knew about her abilities. Probably had to at some point. Just when I thought that living here wasn't going to be too boring, your mother had to go and be the perfect undercover partner she is."

"Sounds like she was born to ruin everyone's fun, huh?" I said laughing since the mood had lightened.

"I'm sure that's her only purpose in life aside from following G.U.N. orders, haha. Well she approached me a few days later and told me that she had done some digging into my past…and everything came up. Well not everything, just the G.U.N. stuff which I admitted to and reassured TigerRose that Felicity being here would not be a distraction to me and compromise the mission. But she was actually more concerned about the classified files under Felicity's name that could only be accessed by the top brass…"

What? G.U.N. **does** have files on Blaze's mom? Then they **must** know about her powers…unless it's about something unrelated.

"I know what you're thinking, son," said dad. "I thought of that too. It would definitely explain her standoffish behavior the last time I saw her years ago in the city."

Leaving that subject behind, dad moved on with his story. I guess he and mom decided against approaching Blaze's mom about the files. Probably for the sake of their mission. Jumping ahead a few years to the house fire that injured Blaze, dad recalled us visiting the hospital to see my friend. I remember spending that entire time in the room talking to her about school and the art project I did. Meanwhile, the adults were outside the room talking…well just dad and Felicity at first according to him. He mentioned the similarities of Blaze's injuries to Felicity's years ago and she confirmed his suspicions of Blaze inheriting her mother's ability. She even revealed how uneasy it's made her since she moved to Emerald Town to get away from her own miserable experience with her powers.

"She was worried she'd have to move again for the sake of her daughter…it bothered me too," said dad. "I promised to keep her daughter's secret as I did for Felicity and that's when TigerRose conveniently came back. The uneasy atmosphere was pretty obvious to her so we decided that all of us adults should have a little sit down and sort out the secrets going around."

I sort of knew where the story went from here, at least from my point of view. Blaze moves away and now…things are a little empty around here without her dynamic. But as for the adults' conversation?

"We met here a few days later while you kids were at school. It was unusual at first trying to be polite and light-hearted about the heavy issues hiding before us. But then your mom…" He didn't even have to say. I could just imagine what she did to get the ball rolling. "She doesn't bother putting on a show, not even for Felicity's husband, and gets straight to the point about the classified G.U.N. files."

Blaze's mom acknowledged the existence of the files and even revealed her ability to TigerRose, the only one in the group who didn't know about her powers. According to dad, things got tense between the two with mom badgering Felicity about the files and Felicity holding strong and wanting to know how mom knew so much for a simple housewife. But dad couldn't take it anymore, the potential argument and the strain being put on Felicity, and blurted out his and mom's identities as G.U.N. agents. He and I shared a nervous chuckle, me assuming that mom exploded after that and him from knowing how she really reacted though he never said.

"Knowing Felicity, even though I'm sure her husband understands her far better than I ever will, I figured I had to give us some leverage in order to get her to say a little more about her involvement with G.U.N. But it was a bust. I guess revealing who we really were only made her even more tight lipped than she already was since they left immediately after."

"But the secrets you shared with each other are safe," I said trying to give him some ray of hope.

"Yes there's that. But it'll never change things between us emotionally."

Again, I was a little lost. So a good friend of his isn't speaking to him again. Considering what's on the line for everyone involved, I'd say it's better this way. I don't want any trouble coming down and getting Blaze hurt. Dad picked up on my confused look and clarified what he meant.

"On the day they moved away, I went to see Felicity just to make things clear that I would never put her or her family in danger…and she thanked me." For a moment dad looked out at the backyard again. The birds that were out there a little while ago were long gone. "I asked her to be careful…for me at least. She understood but…for obvious reasons…"

He suddenly sat forward in his seat, elbows on the dining room table and rubbing his face with his hands. For a moment I felt like I was watching myself… I think it was time for me to leave so I stood up quietly to give dad some privacy. But then I stopped a turned back to him.

"Thanks dad." He looked over at me. "For protecting Blaze and her family."

"From what I can tell they're in no danger from G.U.N. Just your mother. She's stubborn about the safety of this mission and I did everything I could to convince her to not blow the whistle on them when the house fire happened…and when Shadow set off that bomb."

"Doesn't it bother you that she's so strict?"

"It's like I said, we work together perfectly…and I've come to understand her over the years. I'll never develop the same feelings for TigerRose that I had for Felicity but I'll gladly go out of my way to protect my partner if the situation called for it. …Even if it meant going against Felicity."

That was…surprising. Even after spending all this time going on about Blaze's mom who he obviously had a crush on, he'd still choose his partner if a situation ever came up. I guess that's where the coincidental similarities ended between me and dad. I have a feeling I'd always choose Blaze over anyone else. Even Honey.

"Dad…" I said concerned with this revelation.

"I know I promised to never harm Felicity or her family but that was only because I didn't want to let go of my feelings for her," he said. "But after so many years of sparse meetings, it's painfully clear that I need to move on and leave those romantic feelings behind. Her husband will take care of her. So while I'll keep my word, I won't hesitate to break it if Felicity's issues were to threaten TigerRose…or you. The mission takes priority over all."

Yep. Completely opposite of me. Dad's able to break away from his past feelings easily. I don't want to forget mine. Not ever. They mean so much to me even if Blaze doesn't notice them.

"Just out of curiosity," I heard dad say as I started to head for the front door. His tone was much lighter now, back to what it normally sounded like. "Do you like Blaze? You sounded pretty grateful when you thanked me for protecting her family."

Oh boy. I was hoping he wouldn't ask. Dad hardly scolds me but when he does it usually puts me in a downer mood for a few hours. I turned slowly, my eyes towards the ground, and could feel my face warming up quickly. That's when I heard him chuckle a little.

"That's pretty sly of you son," he said. "Or at least it would be if you were that type of guy."

"Huh?" What's he trying to say about me?

"You're clumsy and honest. It's not like you to play around with girls' hearts like that so I'm just going to assume you stumbled into your relationship with Honey."

…Yeah. That's actually an accurate way to describe that! I've been trying to figure out how I got into this with Honey but could never put my finger on the right words.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure what to do in a relationship," I admitted. "Adults make it seem so complex and everyone my age acts like it's fun. I just like things to be what they are with my friends."

"Then do just that. If things keeping going well between you two then just let it be. And if not then just let things fizzle out between you. It won't be nice or easy and you probably won't speak to each other too often afterwards but over time things will get better and, maybe, you two can go back to being friends…or not. In those situations, it really depends on what the girl wants. But you'll at least have Bean and Bark to fall back on."

And maybe Blaze though I chose not to say that aloud.

"I do have one thing to say about all of this, son," dad said getting a little serious again. "If you really are serious about your feelings for Blaze, then there's nothing wrong with doing everything you can to help her. Even if it means breaking Honey's heart. Just be careful. Don't be too proactive in guarding her. Sometimes it's more effective to watch over someone from a distance."

"Just like what you're doing now."

"Exactly."

I'll take that to heart. If anything, it'll make this distance between Blaze and me more bearable since, lately, being with my friends isn't cutting it any more. I should find something else to keep me preoccupied on this side of town. So I went out front and finished pulling weeds from the garden bed. It's a start.


	28. Knuckles: The Guardian Family

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Knuckles: The Guardian Family**

_April  
_It was a risk I was willing to take. Everything wasn't on the line…just my feelings for Tiara. Plus, as far as I could tell, there wasn't much going on in the way of classes. Sure we had our yearly standardize tests coming up but I easily got through those in the years past and this year would be no different. I just wanted one day together with my girlfriend before my usual trip out of town to the Sacred House. Thankfully, Tiara felt the same and did what she could on her end to skip school. We met up at the park but went to the forested area for a little more privacy even though the park usually doesn't get crowded until after school hours. I arrived at our usual meeting spot we sometimes went to in the past. I also brought along father's final journal to pass the time in case Tiara was running late. There was only a page or two left of the last entry. A quick read and I'll be done reading through my father's time as a Guardian. Short but really insightful based on all of his entries.

In the small opening amongst the trees, the grass was still damp from morning dew but the sun peeking through the almost thick canopy overhead promised a warm day ahead. With no sign of Tiara, I sighed and chose the largest tree to sit under. However, just as I turned my back towards the trunk light footsteps quickly approached from behind and a pair of hands went over my eyes.

"Guess who?" I heard the cheery voice of my girlfriend giggle.

I brushed her hands and away and spun on the spot to grab her by the shoulders, dad's journal dropped to my feet but luckily stayed closed.

"Gotcha!" I grinned and she squirmed playfully in my arms.

I'm usually aware of my surroundings almost all the time but I guess with her I let down my guard pretty easily. Especially since I could see her duffle bag over her shoulder sitting next to some bushes. She really didn't try hard to hide herself behind this tree either. I should've been able to spot her easily upon approach. In any case, she continued to squirm about while I embraced her and kissed her on the cheek. Her arms wrapped around my waist. My heart fluttered with such relaxation. Or it could've been the smell of her shampoo; it smells different.

"Oh, I was just trying something new," the manx said when we parted and she straightened out her ponytail. "Personally the smell is a little too overwhelming for me."

"Is that so?," It didn't seem too strong to me but I didn't mind. As long as there's something nice about her when I see her.

She retreated to the bushes where her duffle bag was and brought it out into the opening.

"Since the ground is still wet, I figured we could sit on a blanket while we're out here," Tiara said as she whipped out a slightly worn blanket adorned with a colorful flower pattern.

According to her, she had used the blanket plenty of times before when she and her friends would have an occasional picnic at the park. It was handmade by her grandmother who believed in maintaining good relations with everyone in a person's life. So Tiara carried on that spirit by bringing the blanket along with her whenever she spent time with her friends.

"It apparently has special powers too," she said after laying out he fabric at the base of the large tree.

"How so?" I asked taking a seat on the blanket, my back against the tree trunk.

"My friends tell me all their biggest secrets whenever this blanket is around. I guess something about it makes people magically open up about themselves."

Upon closer inspection I could see a few faded stains here and there on the fabric. Tiara noticed my gaze and cleared up the mystery.

"Of course those juicy secrets also led to a few heated arguments. But, as you can see, we're still pretty close." She winked playfully and I smiled in return.

I didn't believe a word of it. Yes, I'm a bit more spiritual but that's because of my Guardian training and how those teachings relate to the current state of our race. This whole blanket thing…is more along the lines of believing that an object will bring someone good luck or something like that. It just makes people feel good emotionally with no real grounding in tangible facts. For example, I believe that daily spiritual restoration (cleansing ourselves of selfish intent and opening up our hearts) leads to a calmer mind and, ultimately, a better understanding of the world we live. It comes from my ancestor Edmund, the first Guardian. He was a great pacifist who advocated for the echidna race to come together and work as one to prevent our extinction. People listened and followed his ways and, during that time in our history, relations amongst echidna races were the most peaceful since the destruction of our empire. Very little fighting between clans, more open hearts and minds towards other races around the world, and a genuine pursuit to bridge the gap between Mobians and humans. When Edmund passed and Steppenwolf, his son, became Guardian he was murdered by another echidna who conspired with outsiders to obtain the Master Emerald's power. Since then, successors have never revealed themselves as Guardians to the public. We concocted a lie that the "authentic" Master Emerald is kept in Albion under heavy security and Edmund's teachings slowly faded. People lost interest in them and we returned to a state of doubt and suspicion of outsiders and each other. Thus, a physical grounding in my beliefs. Tiara believing in the blanket making people confess their true thoughts and feelings…just comes from a bunch of coincidental conversations with her friends around the blanket. I suppose I could suggest that this occurrence really isn't the blanket but the effect of her close relationship with her friends but…I don't want to leave her this weekend on a sour note.

As soon as I laid eyes on my father's journal next to me, Tiara had spotted it as well. I managed to snatch it up before she could and her delicate, slim form to fell across my lap.

"Aw come on!" she whined in her cutesy voice. "I just want a little peek."

"Sorry, but this is for my eyes only," I said grinning and holding the book above my head. "Besides, it's just a bunch of ramblings from my dad. Nothing you'd be interested in. He was brainy like me you know."

I winked at her and she giggled and rolled onto her back adjusting her body so that her head was on my lap now. While she busied herself with answering some texts on her phone, and possibly checking her email, I took a moment to glance up and down at her slender body. Perfect for a model, at least from my point of view having never seen any models aside from on TV or in ads. A short jacket that hugged her upper body and tight jeans that hugged her perfect legs at every curve. I can't wait to see her in a prom dress but that won't be for another two years since she's still a freshman in the high school wing. I opened up dad's journal to the page with my bookmarker in it…but before I read the first words of his last entry something else took presence in my mind. I should probably tell her. My training has been going on for months now and I love and trust Tiara enough that I'm sure she'll be discreet and keep quiet on what really is a family secret.

"Tiara, we need to talk." I said setting father's journal at my side.

"Uh oh. You usually don't get like this unless it's serious," she said resting her phone on her chest. "Is it your stepmom again?"

"No it's about my weekend trips."

"The extra classes right?"

"They're not extra classes for school." Her light blue eyes wandered over to my face waiting for an explanation. "It's a…tradition in my family that I have to continue as my father did and his before him."

She sat up and partially turned her body towards me, her bushy, brown ponytail swaying across her backside.

"What kind of tradition?" she said. "What is it?"

"I…well…"

I fought about it in my head. Whether or not I should tell the whole truth or just skirt around the subject. Since I've kept up this lie for so long now, I might be better off revealing only a little information. Enough to satisfy her so she won't get too nosy in the future.

"The truth is that what I'm about to tell you is a family secret so…it's really important that you do not tell anyone. Don't even write it in your diary!" I said to her.

Tiara sat up and scooted next to me with a short laugh.

"Don't worry, I don't actually have a diary that I write in," she said. "I'd rather not have the details of my life right now out there for someone to peek at."

"Lucky you," I said glancing down at dad's journal. "Anyway, what I've actually been doing on the weekends I'm gone is studying at a Sacred House. You know what those are right?"

"Yeah. Those mini museums scattered across the Mobian continents that have rare pieces of echidna culture in them. I remember going to one when I was little years ago. Security is really tough."

"Yeah well they serve another purpose. To train chosen members of my family into Guardians."

"Guardians? Of what?"

I was about to open my mouth again but stopped just as the words balanced on the tip of my tongue. I've already said enough at this point. Anymore and I'll be putting myself and maybe Tiara in real danger if mother suddenly decide, one day, to go poking around my personal life and spy on me despite having left her home months ago. I have to admit that being with Tiara has changed me lately. There are things I do now that would cause mother to flip her lid.

"I'm sorry Tiara, I can't," I said taking hold of her hand. "That's as much as I can say. To be honest, I'm actually forbidden to tell anyone outside the family. It's one of those things that very few echidnas know about us and almost no non-echidnas know."

Despite my words of warning, she seemed to have taken them in stride and even scooted closer to me with a coy look in her eyes.

"Ooh forbidden," she said in a purr. "Makes me feel a little special being a part of the exclusive few that know your secret."

Her nose nuzzled against my cheek and I couldn't help myself from laughing at the tickling feeling. I turned to her and we rested our noses against each other, our hands in a tight clasp.

"So I have your word that you won't speak of this to anyone?" I said quietly.

"Of course Knuckles." She gave me a quick peck on the lips. "The fact that you revealed something so personal to me means so much. It shows how much you trust me even if it means going against your stepmother's rules."

Mother…she's hurt me so much in the past. So much so that she drove me to this point. To break with tradition in so many ways just so I could be with this wonderful girl. I don't care how many insults she throws at me or how physically abusive she gets. It's worth it all, being here with this girl as I fight against mother, against tradition, even against my family for all of this. That's the one thing I learned while reading father's journals. To follow my heart and be honest about what it is I truly want as a Guardian while still adhering to the Covenant.

"I honestly don't care about rules right now," I said to Tiara. "I just want to be right here in the moment with you."

Again we kissed but for a little longer before parting and Tiara laid her head back down on my lap.

"We can stay here as long as you like," she said before going back to her cell phone.

Just as well and I picked up father's journal and read his final entries.

_March 16th_

_In such a personally heart wrenching time of need, it's occurred to me that I've greatly neglected this book for almost a year. Marriage to Lara-Le, moving to a new home in Emerald Town, and adjusting to the work force has been distracting. And I still found time, miraculously, to tend to my duties and had the Master Emerald set up in a specially designed case to be kept in my home. Again and again the Masters of various Sacred Houses reached out to me to offer their place as storage for the emerald which is what most of my forerunners have done but I feel confident in keeping it close to me. Better yet, the spirit feels confident in staying by my side and I just abided by his will. Just when it seemed like peace was within grasp, something much dire happened. Complications during Lara-Le's labor. The medical details evade me as I was devastated the moment the doctor told me there was a problem with Lara-Le. My son, words that still ring in my heart so joyously, was born healthy but a complication caused severe blood loss for my wife. Forty-five minutes later…she was pronounced dead. Had the rushed blood transplant from the hospital across town arrived sooner she may have had a chance…at least that's what the doctor told me. But a "maybe" wasn't enough to console me. The only thing that did was my son sleeping in my arms at the time. Everything that happened after that, family communications, funeral arrangements, and the long and difficult flight out to Albion for the funeral ceremony, all happened in a flurry. And soon I found myself back at home…my quiet new home…with my newborn child._

_It wasn't until about a week ago that I met Yuna-Li, the suitor my father handpicked for me. She was…respectable. Well dressed and well spoken. Very knowledgeable of Knuckles Clan traditions. Wouldn't expect any less from father. As kind as her words were and as earnest as her dedication was to my life as the Guardian, I wasn't quite ready to move on. I needed more time; a month is hardly enough to get over one's soul mate. That and I wished to have some time to bond with my son and get a better grasp on the mechanics of childcare. She understood, thankfully. In the interim between then and today, I contemplated accepting this role as Guardian; specifically serious nature of it. Even though the world we live in is relatively at peace with no real threats aside from extremist determined to disrupt order, Lara-Le's sudden death was an alarming wake up call. That I could be the next to go soon or, gods forbid, my son could be. All this time I took this role so light heartedly and in return fate saw fit to set me straight. Opened my eyes to the fact that the existence of the Water Spirit within the Master Emerald was in my hands and that our lives are nothing but candles waiting to be blown out. Perhaps I should've followed father's will and married the girl I needed and not the one I wanted. Perhaps I should've taken into deeper consideration my protection plans for the Master Emerald. Perhaps…I should've done everything right the moment my brother refused this duty. It's a sea of "what ifs" and right now I can't wade in it for too long._

_Maybe I'll give Yuna-Li a call next week. We can talk and from there see how things pan out. Knuckles, when you get around to reading this during your training know one thing. I never gave up on my ideals of life. I still believe in doing what your heart and gut demands of you. I just decided to play things safe. Losing someone so deep and enriching will do that. Even to the most stubborn men._

_July 9th_

_It's been decided, sooner than I anticipated, that Yuna-Li would move in with Knuckles and myself. She was quite sufficient arriving promptly when she said she would and the movers coming and going with such haste. And then, while they unpacked, she proceeded to "investigate" the house ensuring that it was safe for Knuckles. From one room to the next nonstop! It felt like an unexpected audit of my home than a new partner joining her life with mine. "The child's welfare comes before everything else" she said to me at one point during that insanity. Cut to now, a few weeks later, and my home has been turned upside down. Everything was tidied up and neatened or filed away properly, something I've hardly had time for, and Yuna-Li even fired the kind young girl I hired to be Knuckles's sitter insisting for a more experienced professional (that charged a higher hourly fee as well). I've been gritting my teeth through all of this, even with the absurd amount of money leaving my bank account, but considering that it's all for the sake of Knuckles's future as Guardian I bear with it and Yuna-Li has agreed to as well. So long as were in this together and on the same page._

_She's harsh, overbearing at times, and a little too judgmental but I can understand why father preferred her over Lara-Le. I'm a Guardian and a father. Protector of the most powerful artifact in the world and of the most precious life in this family. Were I to devote too much of my time and effort to one, I would run the risk of letting the other suffer. Both the Master Emerald and my son must be in prime form for when it is my turn to step down and his turn to take up the object and relocate it to wherever he sees fit. For now, the casing the Master Emerald is in provides it the best protection from the military and any wrongdoers seeing its power. So I…or better yet Yuna-Li and I will concentrate our efforts on raising Knuckles well and giving him the courage and confidence he'll need for when he hears the Water Spirit's voice. It's my will that this must be accomplished and a promise Yuna-Li vowed to uphold._

That was it. The rest of the pages, a little over half of the book, were blank. While he never made any mention of it, I could assume that his marriage to mother took place sometime after the final entry…and his death followed three years later. To see even him coming to terms with mother's strict ways was a little disheartening. But he made it clear that he wasn't giving up on his beliefs. Just setting them aside for a greater cause…me. It may very well come to that point for me as well in the future. That I'll have to throw away whatever dreams I had for my life and just settle for the practical things that'll ensure my offspring's success into their Guardianship. I looked down at Tiara who had fallen asleep in my lap and wished to stop time in this moment so I could stave off breaking her heart.

* * *

After the quiet morning spent at the park, Tiara and I played around in the forest until the end of school hours and decided to go somewhere else but not home yet. The only thing probably worth mentioning was the sudden noise disruption in the park. It caught us off guard just as we emerged from the forest and in the distance we saw Jet riding on…some huge metal board…that was hovering. Neither of us weren't sure what to make of it aside from the fact that we haven't seen Jet at school for months and he and his friends have been quiet lately. As long as whatever they're up to keeps them from annoying everyone else.

Later that day the joyous feeling of spending the entire day with Tiara had begun to settle as I packed up my bags for the trip out to Verde City. Lily or Kal never approached me about being absent from school so either the school never notified mother or she didn't bother to call here if she was informed by the school. Either way, I'm safe. I had just zipped up my suitcase when Tikal's voice caught me off guard.

"Oh, hey," I said only glancing back at her.

There was a short pause while I shoveled my Sacred House books into my backpack.

"So you're not bringing any of your dad's journals with you?" she finally said.

"I'm already done with them," I answered. "You know I was three when he died."

"Huh?"

I zipped up my backpack and set it aside before taking a seat on the edge of my bed.

"Father died when I was three and…after reading all he had to say about his training, about my birth mother, and about…Yuna-Li…I feel indebt to them."

Tikal joined me at my side as I knew she would. She was always reliable in being around me at the right time to hear me out when I needed to get something off my chest.

"Even to your stepmother?" she asked.

"Yeah. Father was willing to accept her ways even if they bothered him. He saw that he needed the structure in order to find the balance in between his two roles; as father and Guardian. I don't know how he really felt about her during the short time they were together, but he made it clear that both of them were committed to my future regardless of the costs."

"That's…interesting. I still don't think it justifies how she treated you."

"No it doesn't but her intent was clear. _Very clear_." I cleared my throat while Tikal shuffled her feet. No need to go into the details. "And since I respect those who stick to their values and work hard, regardless of my approval, I feel a strong sense of obligation to repay those who've helped me in some way."

"But you're still not going to move back in with her, are you?"

"Not a chance in hell," I said as I stood to gather my bags.

"I think your dad would be happy with the job she's done," said Tikal.

"And he would've reeled mother back the moment she crossed the line ten years ago. Four-years-old and pulling weeds out in the rain…"

"Yeah it sucks things turned out like this but…I'd like to think that he's standing there next to you. Impressed by how much you've grown and how quick you were to take things into your own hands when you realized your stepmom was…going a little crazy."

"Batshit is a much better adverb."

That probably took the conversation a little too far for Tikal given the dead silence afterwards. She's not one for caustic language like that. While I went back through and did a thorough check of my personal items in my hygiene bag sitting on the dresser, a chill crawled across my left shoulder and I looked over it at the closet. …Nothing…or according to Tikal possibly my father. Whether it really was him or not I can't say but…

"Do you really think he's here?" I said looking back at her.

She seemed stunned at first, unsure of what to say but the words came to her quickly as they always do.

"I only think that because of your patience," she said beaming. "You have a temper but it's never gotten you into any real trouble and I'd like to think that it's all because your dad is there right next to you. Keeping your head cool."

It's a nice sentiment, father being right here, but I'm pretty sure the slightly better temper control is, again, due to Edmunds teachings. The same teachings father and my predecessors had to learn. I informed Tikal of this and she made note of it as Edmund is well known among our people.

"Hey, you know it's great that you're dedicated to your duty as Guardian but…" Tikal began.

I looked back at her again waiting for her to finish.

"What about Tiara?"

I've already made my decision to stay by her side for as long as I could before I turned sixteen. At that point I would be sent away permanently to the Sacred House for the final part of my training.

"Are you really going to be okay with just cutting her off like that?"

"I've already decided on that," I said. "I'll be there for her as much as I can be right now…and then end it. Just like that. She understands the importance of what I'm doing. But-she-doesn't-know-the-details!"

I was able to cut off Tikal with the last part before she voice her concerned. The doorbell rang at that moment and I gathered up my belongings with Tikal helping out. We headed downstairs to the foyer where uncle Kal stood before the open front door with the usual echidna escorts in suits waiting outside. I said my goodbyes to my family and left for the Sacred House.

* * *

Even after all these months of coming here on the weekends, I still manage to beat out all of the other religious students in getting up before sunrise wide-eyed and full of energy. Then again, I have every reason to outshine them being a Guardian-in-training posing as a religious student. A pretty clever rouse we've set up over the centuries in order to live among the populace. I was quick to get started on my chores after my morning meditation, many of which involved tending to specific artifacts that required daily care. As the sun gradually peeked over the horizon, I ran into more and more students in the halls dressed in the House robe; a long robe of beige and blue arranged in a simple pattern of a single horizontal line down the center and gold embossed stitching around the hem. While we smiled upon greeting, I knew very well that many of them were suspicious or either jealous of me due to how much more attention I got from some of the more elder Masters. They're free to think what they want. My lessons here were vastly different from theirs and required the extra care.

My first class came soon after the public areas of the House were open for the day and I set off to the upper level alone as usual. I was deliberately taught separately from the others. About halfway through the two-hour history and culture lesson, a knock came at the door interrupting the fairly young Master Gavan that taught the class. One of the many Apprentices, someone who is in the midst of their training to be a Master and serves as a 'museum guide' for the public, entered and his eyes went directly to me.

"Forgive my interruption, Guardian Apprentice," my official title here. "You have a visitor."

"A visitor? Are you saying that _he's_ come unannounced!?" said my teacher.

"No, not _him_," answered the Apprentice and he stepped into the room and away from the door to allow my visitor entrance.

In came what seemed like a hoax at first. A very, _very_ old echidna in a wheelchair, a white cloth covering his lap and a darkened hood hiding much of his face, being pushed by a young, wide-eyed and thinly built female echidna dressed semi-formally; slacks and a neutral blouse. She rolled the metal chair in until the elder held up a hand signaling her to stop and then she went to pull up on the chair brake on the side, her bangs falling over eyes in the process. The old man, who wheezed noticeably but not too loud to be heard over casual conversation noise, pulled back the hood of his cowl revealing tired eyes overwhelmed by a sea of wrinkles and the tips of his spines adorned with colorful rings. He looked at me, his jaw moving around possibly out of habit, and smiled exhaling a raspy cough.

"It's like he's back from the dead," he said with a weak voice.

"I'm…sorry?" If this was someone I was supposed to know…I'm not making the connection yet.

"Your father, Locke. Only without the pretentious beard."

"Forgive me sir but...you knew my father?"

"Bah! Use that thick noggin of yours, boy!" he said as he pointed behind me. "I know you're not **that** dense!"

When I looked back towards Master Gavan he was suddenly bowed over at the waist, eyes shut and completely immobile. It was the same for the Apprentice still standing by the door and even the young echidna stood behind the old echidna's chair with her eyes close and head bowed slightly. …Damn! How could I be so dense!

"Athair?" I said after slapping myself on the forehead.

My great-grandfather let out an even harder and raspier laugh than before slapping his right knee in the process.

"Gotcha didn't I? Bet you didn't see that one coming from a mile away," he said.

"Well I've never seen any pictures of you," I said. "Just stories I've heard from mother and grandfather Sabre."

"Ah, I see."

Despite how frail he appeared, Athair was able to clap his hands together loudly and ordered the others, the Master, the Apprentice, and the girl, to leave and give us some privacy. They did so swiftly, the Master closing the door behind him. I was about to get up and bring him closer to my desk but Athair stopped me with a raise hand. His eyes remained closed making unclear as to what he wanted but then…I heard the brake click…and Athair's wheelchair glided right over to me…on its own! I fell hard into my seat, my mouth hanging open in what I thought was a genuine poltergeist moment. Suddenly he began to chuckle and looked up at me.

"Neat trick, huh?" he asked. "Took me years to get it under precise control."

"So you can move things with my mind?" I said.

"Not exactly. It's more like pushing things around using focused spiritual energy. You know about that, right?"

"N-no I don't sir."

"Ah that's right. They don't teach you the fun stuff until the final part of your training." Athair stroked his chin looking slightly disappointed. "If you want my advice, son, don't sweat all of this philosophy, history, and rules mumbo they're cramming into your head. Just pay attention to the Covenant and it'll all be okay."

"Of course," I smiled only out of sympathy. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

While this is great finally getting to see Athair face-to-face, I couldn't help but wonder if there was a purpose for his visit. I only thought about this because of grandfather Sabre's visit. His trip to this Sacred House was known a week in advance and the weekend I came down was one of the rare times the Sacred House stayed closed to the public. Everyone was on their best behavior and even though Sabre was only here to speak to the Elder Master, he did stop by my lesson had a short chat with me. Just small talk like how my training was going and a quick update on mother. Nothing real personal. Then again, remembering what mother said about Athair in the past, how he was the complete opposite of Sabre, his visit may just be something he felt like doing suddenly. But there is that saying about Guardians though. That we always know when we're needed somewhere.

"I thought about visiting that old fart son of mine but…he just stiffens up and doesn't get my rhythm."

Then again, maybe this isn't the case and Athair just wanted a chance to see me. Seems like he can't do too much travelling and I'm not just referring to the wheelchair. It's common knowledge among our family that Guardians can live extraordinarily long lives. And seeing how he's my great-grandfather I would guess that he's easily past a hundred years old with a body that's not too agreeable with long distance travelling.

"In fact," he said continuing his little rant. "Sabre was always a bit off when it came to finding a smooth rhythm. Hell, he couldn't even dance at his own high school prom. Not that he didn't, he just did so with his cousin who could tolerate his two left feet stepping all over hers. And don't get me started on his tenure as Guardian. That rock-head had no clue how to appease the Water Spirit."

"Appease it? I'm sure keeping it alive is good enough," I said.

"No, no, no! It's a spirit for cryin' out loud not a pet!" Athair said waving a vigorous hand. "You'll be spending the rest of your life with it so it's best to be friends and keep it happy. It likes nature, especially running water. Now it don't mind being locked up in some place safe but let it out once in a while like a pet, you know. Your father was somewhat on the right track, keeping it locked in that case but close to the family. Likes to watch its Guardian and understand them. And that's what set your father apart from that pinhead son of mine. _Locke_ had compassion…and patience! Two defining factors of a Guardian. It's not all military duty and fortress of strength or whatever the hell Sabre had in his head. That stuff helps but it's the calmer aspects of the job that the Water Spirit prefers. It's the only way it can get inside your head and show you the meaning of our lives. How one should flow into the other and create a safe and peaceful environment for the spirit to thrive in. So locking it up like some prison inmate does it no good. There's no access to the spirit's flow of life or understanding of its rhythm. You might as well be taking a baby and saying 'Ok here's a book on metaphysics and here's one on neuroscience. How do these two relate?' The baby's not going to understand or give a shit about that stuff! It's just a baby! It eats, poops, and sleeps! And…"

Suddenly I felt a hard and heavy whack against my head and I shot up out my seat and took a few steps away from Athair.

"Ow! What was that for?" I said rubbing the sore spot on top of my head.

I saw what looked to be a short, wooden walking stick in Athair's lap. He must've had it hidden under the cloth.

"Dammit boy! I'm giving you the best damn advice a Guardian can get; rhythm and flow, you get me?" he said waving a fist furiously.

"Yeah, yeah. Rhythm of the Water Spirit and the flow of its life, I get it."

It must've been my posture cause I did end up getting bored about halfway through his third insult against Sabre and slouched over with my elbows on my knees and chin in my hands. I was listening but I also had an hour of lecturing before this… In fact that's pretty much what most of my lessons are, just me sitting and listening to whatever Master is teaching at the time. Plus, Athair went off on tangents pretty often so he can't blame me for not seeming attentive. After letting the welt on my head cool off for a few more seconds, I took my seat next to him. He sighed heavily…wearily, actually, like he was done with something. I suggested that maybe he should go and get some rest but he waved a hand at the idea.

"The only thing I saw of you before today was a picture," he said. "It was a nice one but a picture doesn't cut it for me."

Already he's put himself miles ahead of Sabre in terms of embracing our family bond. I suppose I don't have to rush him back to his caretaker yet.

"But I also came here to give you a message. All the way from Albion, mind you, so I'll be damned if you try to force me out because I'm just an old guy to you."

"Don't worry sir," I said smiling. "I won't push you out the door."

"Good. And for gods sake, son, call me Athair. We're family dammit!"

"Uh…sure…Athair." Maybe he's embracing the family bond a little too much.

He took a few seconds to gather his thoughts and closed his eyes. I wondered what kind of message he had for me. One that would compel him to cross the continent. His eyes opened and it was clear that he was someone different now. Someone a little more serious compared to what I saw minutes ago.

"During my meditations, I saw various things concerning your Guardianship," he began. "Things that don't quite make sense to me. Like your aura. It was vastly different from your father's, Sabre's, and my own. Even different from my own mother."

That's right. Janelle-Li, the only female Guardian.

"That aura…after much thought and deliberation with myself, I understood it to represent the paths we've chosen in our Guardianship. Despite the differing lifestyles from Guardian to Guardian, I can only assume that we've…we've never really strayed far from the formula of 'protect the Master Emerald and understand the spirit.' Yes, we may have thought, at first, that doing something a little different meant we were doing something bold and profound or at least better than our predecessors. But since we've had access to their lives in the forms of journals, we're probably just copying something they did similarly."

I wondered how far back the journal tradition ran in the Guardianship but Athair continued on before I could ask.

"That being said, your aura color being different…_that_ obviously meant something in my visions. What it meant, I can't say. **But**…the path that you'll walk, whether chosen or forced, may provide you with a Guardianship of a very different nature. Perhaps you will obtain an understanding of the Water Spirit that myself and others could not. Or maybe you'll experience an aspect of the Master Emerald's power that we have not felt. Nevertheless, Knuckles, _you_ are special and therefore _your_ Guardianship will be special and that is why it is very…_very_ important for you to chronicle as much of it as you can. Damn…"

He was searching behind him, I think behind his chair, for something as he spoke. After huffing out another exasperated breath, he motioned for me to look behind his wheelchair for whatever it was. What I saw back there was a small black satchel that was hidden from my view.

"There's something in that bag for you, son," he said. "It's a bit of a tradition among us Guardians. Not mandated by the Covenant but started by us as a way for us to connect with our predecessors."

I reached in and pulled out the only object inside; a brown, sturdy, and very thick journal. Every page within was a pristine white color waiting for my words to be scribed onto them. And on the inside front cover was a short message from Athair himself.

_Just as your father and grandfather, follow your instincts, follow the Covenant._ _–Athair_

I approached his side still staring down at his message and eventually met his sage-like eyes.

"Got it from a friend who couldn't make much use of it," he said with a smile determined to fight its way past his wrinkles.

I sat back down at my desk and thumbed through the empty pages just to get a feel for them.

"My father had three journals…" I said while slowly closing the book. "So will I get two more journals?"

"Yep, that's the plan. Your grandfather has the entire archive of every Guardian that wrote a journal…I, uh, think it goes back to Moonwatcher so you've got a lot to catch up on!"

Wow…nearly the entire history of my Guardian ancestors just waiting for me at grandfather Sabre's home.

"Thank you Athair. I'll be sure to make good use of this," I said.

"You better. Now then…" Once again, using his spiritual energy, Athair carefully turned the wheelchair around towards the door. "How about you and I spend the rest of the day around town? I haven't had a chance to eat this morning. Came right over as soon as I woke up."

"But I still have classes the rest of the day," I said standing.

"Ah fuck it," said Athair waving a dismissive hand. "I told you not to sweat the unimportant stuff. The Covenant is all you'll really need in the end. And I told you I came all the way from Albion so I'm going to get the most out of this trip."

"But the Masters-"

"Will do whatever I say. You see, boy, the greatest perks of being a Guardian come _after_ you passed on the role to your offspring. You get special privileges if you talk to the right people and all of these Sacred House wallflowers will do whatever you say even if it's something crazy. We're royalty among echidnas! A secret royal family but royalty nonetheless. Besides, I'd like to see them deny this old codger quality time with his only great-grandson."

He rolled his chair over to the door where I stepped ahead to open it for him. But there was one more thing bothering me.

"There's one more thing Athair," I started. "Who's that girl who brought you in?"

"Heh heh. Caught your eye did she?" Athair's sly smile made me feel a little embarrassed for asking. "She's a mute girl I took in as a favor to another longtime friend who passed on some time ago. Really sweet girl, can only talk with her hands though but it's not hard to learn. You know…you can have her when you're ready to settle down with a girl. She's a little older than you but that sort of thing doesn't bother you, does it?"

Honestly Athair… I laughed nervously before clearing my throat.

"It's a little too early for me," I said modestly. "I think I'll wait before thinking about a wife."

"The slow and steady approach eh? If that's what you prefer then. Now let's go grab some grub."

I allowed him to exit the room first and out in the hallway Master Gavan and the Apprentice bowed immediately as soon as Athair rolled out before them.

"If it's not too much of an inconvenience for you, sonny," Athair said to the Master. "I'd like to take my great-grandson for the rest of the day."

The younger echidna stumbled with his words as he stood straight, unsure of how to respond to my great-grandfather's somewhat selfish request. Eventually he was able to put together a competent sentence.

"Guardian Athair, while we are eternally grateful over your unexpected decision to grace this House with your presence, would it be too much to ask you to consider the Guardian Apprentice's growth? He still has much to learn and it would be of slight inconvenience to delay his growth into a proper Guardian."

"And I suppose you know what a proper Guardian is, huh? I take it you've already spent _fifty_ _years_ of your life watching over a giant glowing stone?"

"I-I was not implying-"

"Come to think of it, I might've spent a little more than that watching over the Master Emerald. I was kinda slow in producing offspring, not that you kids need to know the messy details of my woman troubles. My first girl was something of a bitch."

The Master cleared his throat at the candid remarks while the Apprentice, the girl, and myself hid our giggles.

"In any case!" Athair's voice silenced us all. "Knuckles, get out of that dress and meet me outside. You can show me and Kaiyo-Ka here a descent place to get breakfast."

I wasted no time in rushing ahead of Athair and Kaiyo-Ka to my quarters on the lower level in the residential area of the House and changed out of my robes quickly. This was a rare chance for me to connect even further with my distant family so the excited rush was justified. …And it was also a rare chance to do something that wasn't related to echidna history.

* * *

Sunday came. The final day at the Sacred House and my last chance to spend some time with Athair before we parted ways. I went ahead and dressed in my House robe since Athair said that his pardoning me from my studies yesterday was a one-time deal. So much for hoping for a second day of no lessons. At least Sundays are only partial-days for me since I still have to be driven back to Emerald Town in the late afternoon. After meditation I started on my chores in a hurry. It was difficult to hide the anxiety of waiting for Athair's arrival and more of his rambling stories of father and grandfather Sabre. So much so that I almost knocked over one of the priceless vases in the public area while cleaning. Even the faint signs of jealousy from the other students flew over my head as I finished up my share of the morning work and headed upstairs for my first lesson. But something was a little different when I entered the room where all my classes were held. No, something was **very** different. Not only was Master Ravi, my historical teacher, waiting for me but also a few of the other older Masters and the Elder Master himself.

All of their eyes fell upon me when I entered…and each one of them wore the same look of distress. The Elder Master, a humble looking echidna dressed in the heaviest robes with a mid-length beard reaching down to his chest, approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"It pains me to be the one to deliver this news to you, Guardian Apprentice. Your great-grandfather, the prominent Guardian Athair, has passed on."

…What?

"According to his caretaker, the young girl, she went to wake him only to discover that he wasn't breathing," the Elder Master continued. "We sent our medical Master to assess the situation…he had been dead for a few hours at that point."

I still couldn't find the strength to speak and settled for staring off into the far corner of the room.

"We've already informed your immediate family and your Uncle Kalek of this tragedy so if you wish to return home immediately-"

"Where is he?" I demanded suddenly. It was the only thing I could think of.

"He chose to quarter outside of the House in the home of a local resident, a former Master, Sir Weylin. He—w-wait! Knuckles!"

Of course! It makes perfect sense for a Guardian needing to stay away from the general public. To avoid any accidental sightings of our Guardian mark, the white crest on our chests. I raced down the hall and stairwell at the end, throwing my robe off in the process, and flew out the front door passing the shocked security guards. Okay, so this Master is retired but still living here in town. He needs to live some place conspicuous but not too far away from everything else to seem a little too obvious to the townspeople and visitors. Now I just need to find an area that would seem appropriate for Sir Weylin. I rushed across the fairly empty street in front of the Sacred House and weaved in between the small business building heading for the clock tower at the center of town. It was conveniently located next to a popular bar and grill place with an outdoor patio on its second floor. So I scaled my way up the wooden support beams of the patio area and onto the restaurant's roof. An iron fence and a small parking space separated the properties of the tower and restaurant. An easy obstacle that I bypassed with gliding and was climbing the tower seconds later. Once I reached the sea green rooftop, one of the more prominent signs of its age, I carefully walked around the slanted surface checking out the layout of the town. Perhaps rushing out of the Sacred House wasn't such a good idea. I should head back and ask…

…Wait…over there…towards the valley. That's where he is. That's where Athair will be. …How did I know that? Doesn't matter! Standing here scratching my head isn't getting me any closer. I leapt off the tower's roof gliding over all the stout buildings below before finally coming to a running landing on the low roof of a flower shop. One of the local transit buses heading for the neighborhood ahead was passing at that moment and I hitched a ride on it digging my knuckles into the roof for grip. Five minutes later, it became apparent the bus was slowly heading away from where I needed to go so I leapt off at the next stop in front of a playground and dashed through determined to reach the home of Sir Weylin. The number of fences I leapt over, gardens I trampled through, and townspeople I passed eluded me after a short time. Everything around me became nothing more than just obstacles. Soon the houses became sparse and this…instinctive feeling…it guided me into a cul-de-sac of four houses, two of which were hidden up a winding hill filled with trees.

I took a shortcut through the small wood and up the steep hill towards the house furthest in and I just knew it had to be the right one. Four vehicles were parked out front, too many for a former Master unless he had a large family. As soon as I reached the front door, over and over again I pounded on it calling out to whoever was in there.

"Sir Weylin?! Please, open up! I need to get in!"

It didn't take long for someone to answer. The green door swung open and a brown colored echidna appeared looking just as old as most of the Sacred House Masters.

"Are you okay young man? What's with all the noise?" the old man asked.

The moment I opened my mouth, Master Gavan appear behind the old man from down the hallway straight ahead. Another Master I saw often at the Sacred House, but was dressed in an open physician's coat here, followed my teacher.

"Guardian Apprentice?" Gavan said upon approach. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah! So it's this young man?" said Sir Weylin.

He finally opened the door wide to let me in and bowed his head solemnly.

"My condolences Guardian Apprentice," he said.

"Where is he?" I asked again after crossing the threshold. "Where's Athair's room?"

None of them spoke but looked at me with pained expressions and then at each other. Argh! I don't have time for this! Kaiyo-Ka should still be here so I ventured in calling out for her. I heard a door open just down the same hallway Gavan and the other Master came from and the mute echidna rounded the corner. She was still in her night robe, a handkerchief in hand, and her eyes puffy and red from crying. The curious look on her face melted away the second she saw me and she began to tear up again burying her face in her handkerchief. I rushed over and pulled her into a comforting embrace while she cried soundlessly.

"I'm so sorry," I said in a low voice. "Where's his room?"

She stepped back and pointed to a nearby door around the corner that led to the den. I started for the door but Kaiyo-Ka suddenly stopped me waving a hand frantically. Once she saw that I wasn't quite understanding her, she took the lead and headed down the narrow stairwell and I followed close behind. The den was finely furnished with a flat screen TV hanging on the wall and a fake fireplace for decorative purposes but my eyes remained on Kaiyo-Ka who walked through the large area that curved around behind the stairs. Another closed door was at the far end of the den area. As we neared I could hear faint voices chanting… The mourning prayer of the Knuckles Clan. I thanked Kaiyo-Ka quietly and she stepped away from the door. Three knocks and the chanting stopped. The door opened and the glaring eyes of Master Strato, second-in-command underneath the Elder Master, greeted me with an equally disdained frown. I held my stern gaze as was always necessary when dealing with him.

"Let me in," I spoke softly.

"Your presence isn't needed yet Guardian Apprentice," said Strato.

"He is my family. My _blood relative_. **Let…me…in.**"

Another few seconds of his glare and he caved and silently disappeared into Athair's room. Seconds later the door was thrown open and I stepped aside as a procession of three Masters exited the room, all dressed appropriately in dark colored funeral robes. Each of them bowed their heads shortly to me as they passed and I entered after the last left to see Master Strato going around Athair's bed blowing out the ceremonial candles set up. I flipped the light switch by the door illuminating the room with electric light…and got a clearer view of my great-grandfather's covered corpse still on his bed. The aged Master blew out the last candle near me on the nightstand and hobbled his way out.

"Five minutes," he said before he disappeared through the doorway.

There was a chair in the far corner of the room and I retrieved it and pulled it next to the nightstand. From there I pulled back the funeral sheet with trepidation, just enough to reveal Athair's withered face. The wrinkles and gravity made it seem like he was in discomfort…but somehow I figured that he was feeling the most comfort he ever felt in years. I sat down with some stiffness in my posture, my hands on my knees, and sorted through all the knowledge I've obtained over the years for something… A word or emotion that would adequately capture the feelings of losing someone so close and seeing everything I could've possibly wanted slip away. But nothing came. So I gave up and allowed my eyes to drift to the floor. The sound of footsteps shuffling across the carpet brought my attention to the door and there was Kaiyo-Ka bringing in an extra chair from the poker table out in the den area. Her presence was welcomed as I felt that my lack of any kind of coherent thought was going to suffocate me or at least leave me mentally damaged. And there the two of us sat, side by side, strangers with little connection between each other aside from Athair. Conveniently after a despairing sigh from me, I felt the female echidna's hand grasp onto mine and I looked over to see her smiling for the first time today despite her still puffy eyes. A kind uplifting gesture…I appreciate those. Gradually my sights fell onto Athair's wheelchair opposite his bed and his stubby walking stick standing up in the seat. For once, a coherent thought came to mind. A stupid one but clear as day.

That chair is going to be so lonely without him…the walking stick too.

* * *

_Parts of this chapter resonate thoughts I had concerning adult responsibilities. Sometimes, it all comes down to what you need to do for yourself. It also resonates with the passion I once had for Knuckles as a character. Writing this current arc (Guardian) has slowly brought it back though not as strong as it was before._


	29. Knuckles: The Promised Life

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Knuckles: The Promised Life**

_May  
_Learning how to move on was a skill I figured out at a young age. It was usually in response to something unbearable that mother did or just an awkward social situation at school. But moving on from Athair's death? That falls into the category of "easier said than done". And it wasn't because of the usual reasons of being close to him. It was because of the exact opposite. I barely knew the man when he passed. Just when I thought I had someone I could genuinely reach out to, someone who knew and understood what I would be going through as a Guardian, he was taken away from me just like that. So where does that leave me? I guess right here where I'll always be, figuring out my path through life on my own. As far as the wake and funeral was concerned, even uncle Kal and aunt Lily felt that my studies were a little more important so Kal went by himself to Albion. I'm not bothered by it. Last thing I need right now are the curious eyes of strangers watching my every move as a soon-to-be Guardian.

According to Kal, Yuna-Li attended the wake but kept to herself and was a no show for the funeral. Doesn't surprise me. And he may have even seen grandfather Sabre show a tiny spec of remorse for the passing of his own father.

"You have to understand, Knuckles," said Kal. "Dad showing any kind of emotion other than disappointed, stern, or none at all is something of a rare sight."

"He's a very calculative man though," Lily chimed in. "He could've just done that for the sake of the other guests in attendance."

"Wouldn't put it past him to do something like that."

It's been a month since the wake and funeral and this was the casual conversation my aunt and uncle shared at the breakfast table with me. It was my free weekend from the Sacred House and I had made plans to spend most of the day with Tiara. As for Tikal she was spending the weekend at a classmate's home to work on their final science project for the year.

"Dad did ask about you though," Kal continued. "Wanted to know why you weren't there since you're a Guardian Apprentice and all."

"Why doesn't he just come out here if he wants to see me?" I said.

"There's a myriad of reasons. Social and business ties to Albion. An overly busy schedule. Comfort of just being in a place where he can trust the people that walk the streets."

Emerald Town isn't exactly a magnet for gang activity and other malicious crimes. The occasional petty thievery, maybe. But nothing to suggest that a visitor would get mugged the second they stepped out onto the streets.

"Or it's just his stubborn attitude," said Kal.

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks?" said Lily as she picked up the plate of food she finished off.

"More like the old dog refuses to learn any new tricks." The married couple shared a brief laugh. "In any case, I'll take you out to see him sometime this summer. We'll probably spend a week or two in Albion. Long enough for you to get a good idea of the world you're about to be immersed into."

I'll assume that it'll be nothing like the stories I've heard from Yuna-Li throughout my life. It's not that I never believed a word of what she said every time she told an anecdote about her days in Albion. It's just that I was pretty sure a lot of what she said was slightly exaggerated due to her own dramatic thoughts of "outsiders" and echidnas she didn't like.

"Sounds fun…I guess," I said pushing around the tiny bit of eggs and ketchup left on my plate.

Having lost my appetite at this point for the last bit of food on my plate, I got up, casually slipped the eggs into the trash can near me, and dropped off my plate in the kitchen sink while aunt Lily was busy cleaning off the stove. At that moment the morning news program on the small TV sitting on the end of the counter began talking about the ongoing news story of the roboticization factory that was recently shut down. The main issue was what to do with the victims that were left behind on the secluded island where the place was built. Over the past few months, it's been revealed that some victims miraculously regained their conscience while others remained mindless slaves programmed to attack anything that wasn't robotic or was perceived as a threat. Those who had recovered began to petition the King for aid in returning to their homes. However, one attempt to move a small group of them back to Mobotropolis ended in disaster. A few loss their conscience and attacked the Mobian soldiers helping them and then turned on the other Robians (the name the media gave them) who tried to stop them. When all the facts had been reported, the three pundits went into speculative territory spouting their own beliefs on what should be done about the island. An exasperated groan came from Kal and he got up and turned off the TV.

"They can make all the suggestions they want," he said. "Bottom line, they were flesh and blood just like us at one point. Treating them all like barbaric animals is only going to make _us_ look like barbaric animals…not that the humans need any more ammunition in judging us."

Kal had a good point. It's understandable if our government would rather protect the general public than expose them to Robians that are unpredictable because of what they've become. On the other hand, those people still have families hoping to see them again and if they've managed to have their minds return to normal why not grant them their wish of going home?

"I hate to be the one to say it but…let them stay on that closed off island," a remark that, shockingly, came from Lily. "I know they were like us at one point but they're no longer Mobians in the physical sense. That horrible man created a new species, one that's probably in constant pain because of the fine line they walk. While I genuinely feel sorry for the sentient ones, the possibility of them turning creates a great threat to the rest of us. Isn't there anyone working on a reversal method?"

"That's also another problem," said Kal. "I read some story online a while back that when a recovery team went in to investigate the wreckage from the failed rescue attempt, they discovered that the Robian's were only partially robotic. Seems like Robotnik left the brain intact. Just lobotomized it out of the body and into a replica of the person. God knows why…"

The gruesome detail left the three of us silent for a moment until I decided to speak up.

"Why can't King Acorn allow G.U.N. to help us out with Robotnik?" I figured I'd take a chance and ask. "Might be a little easier to put pressure on the guy if a larger force was hunting him down."

"His majesty is too stubborn to deign to human resources so easily," said Kal. "A justified approach seeing that they're the reason he's in a wheelchair now. But if this goes on long enough, I have a feeling the King will cave in sooner or later. He's already allowed G.U.N. to set up bases in major Mobian cities and open their ranks to our kind."

"Only because the humans want a piece of Echidna technology," said Lily who had just finished cleaning off the stove. "He could've denied them access to our nation but at least the King recognizes one of the major concerns of his people; bridging the gap between Mobians and humans. So that was nothing more than an act of goodwill. One that purists on both sides still picket and protest despite how useless it is to do so at this point."

It's common knowledge that us Echidnas have the upper hand in the world of advance technology. No one has ever come close to what we've created…except for this Robotnik guy. He might give us a run for our money. Even our greatest technological accomplishment, Echidnaopolis, has the official nickname "The City of Tomorrow." Kal and Lily's conversation went into the territory of political and social affairs and that was my cue to get out of there.

* * *

A few hours later, it was time for me to head out to the plaza for lunch with Tiara. When I got there she was right where she said she'd be, in front of the accessories shop, texting away on her phone. But it probably wasn't anything important as she immediately put her phone away the moment she noticed me approaching.

"Hey!" she said wrapping her arms around me. "Any place in particular you want to eat?"

"Wherever you like is fine with me," I said and she dragged me away by the arm.

In the end, we found ourselves at the usual burger place we always ate at and I just settled for an order of fries while Tiara got herself a full meal consisting of a double burger, fries, and a large drink. How do girls eat like that and stay thin? When she was about halfway through her meal, she brought up the subject of my great-grandfather passing last month. Before, I wasn't ready to talk to her about it but now I wasn't bothered with discussing how I felt.

"I still don't know how to feel," I said honestly. "He was there one day and gone the next. An interesting guy. Kinda wanted to know him a little more."

"So how did the rest of the family take the news?" she said.

"With about the usual solemn behavior anyone has when someone dies. Yuna-Li also stopped by that Sunday night when I came home. I thought she was there to pay her respects but it was a 'business' visit."

"Business? At that sort of time?"

"It's not what you think," I said waiving my hand. "It's more related to the uh…stuff I told you last month."

She paused for a second before her eyes grew wide remembering the family secret I divulged to her in the park.

"Yeah that," I said to confirm her expression. "Yuna-Li gave me a journal my father left behind for me to write in. Athair did the same the day before, giving me a blank journal when he showed up that weekend at the Sacred House."

"Another tradition in your family line of…whatever it is you're guarding?"

"Pretty much. Have to chronicle my time as Guardian for the sake of my successors," I slid the last of my fries over to Tiara who had just finished her share of fries. "Now all that's left is to get one from my grandfather in Albion. My uncle didn't take me with him to the funeral but he says we'll head out there in a few months during the summer break."

"At least you'll have your grandfather to bond with in place of Athair," said Tiara.

"Yeah about that…everything I've heard about him suggest that he and I might not get along as well as Athair and I would've. He's a bit more…strict and all business."

"Oh? Well that shouldn't be much of a problem. You've had years of experience dealing with someone like that," Tiara said with an added wink.

I laughed…a feigned smile…and continued on.

"I'm sure grandfather Sabre will be a little more level-headed than Yuna-Li." At that moment I began to recall her story of how she ended up with my dad. "Then again, he was the one who introduced her and my father."

A skewered expression flushed over Tiara's face as she finally understood my justified apprehension in going to Albion.

"Here's to a tolerable vacation then," she said unwrapping a second straw.

She poked it into her drink and we finished off the last bit of her soda.

* * *

After passing some more time away with idle chat, we felt that it was time for us to go. Tiara had her friends to catch up with and I…well I had my aunt and uncle's place to return to. She held my hand firmly, more than usual, and I was prompted to think that it was out of some hidden pity she had for my loss. A nice gesture even if unnecessary. But as we left the plaza I couldn't help but remind myself of the future of our relationship. Eventually it would have to end for the sake of my duties and Tiara would find out eventually. Okay, she's a reasonable girl so I don't want to be too condescending or just drop her like a rock. Doing it now would seem like I'm intentionally distancing myself from her because of Athair's death which isn't the case. But doing it later would be too painful as we would already have a descent history together. So when is the right time to break this off? The truth she can handle, I know it. She knows that being a Guardian runs in the family…just not the specific details of our task and traditions. If I could just figure out the right time to—

"Knuckles?" I suddenly heard Tiara say.

My heart skipped as I snapped to attention. She was looking up at me with those gorgeous blue eyes of hers and I nearly melted. But then her eyebrows furrowed. She was onto me.

"You're thinking of something aren't you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Y-Yes that's a possibility," I said. "I have a lot to think about right now."

"But you had your 'I'm trying to solve a really hard problem' face. You don't get that face unless something really serious is bothering you. You're not planning anything weird are you?"

"Come on Tiara!" I said with a forced laugh. "I've been through a lot lately. How about taking it easy on me? I'm still in mourning."

Maybe that was stretching it judging from her skeptical glare.

"If you call making jokes about your stepmom 'mourning' then whatever," she said rolling her eyes but I caught a smile just as she turned her head away.

For the duration of our walk away from the plaza I couldn't bring myself to even utter a hint of ending our relationship. The sudden pain and, possible, tears unnerved me. I've had enough drama in my life for the past few months already. …But who am I to complain over something that'll eventually be a small incident in the long-run of my life? Yuna-Li managed to put up with an onslaught of crap for the majority of her life and she didn't have a choice but to face the pain head on. I, being somewhat privileged as a Guardian, can kinda get away with just leaving Tiara without a word and never seeing her again. Yeah, she'll be hurt but…she deserves better…and I'd rather have closure than to leave it open.

When we reached the intersection we usually parted at to go our ways, my grip tightened around Tiara's hand stopping her from leaving. She looked up at me and spoke my name again. Softly this time sensing how tense I was. A knot welled up in my throat but I swallowed it and built up the courage to face Tiara. …But as soon as I opened my mouth a little she pushed her lips against mine and blocked off the words I was still too nervous to say. The shaking nerves melted away and a warmth replaced the fear of parting. It wasn't what I wanted but…there was no point in rushing this to an end. I still had two years left with her. After what felt like a wonderful eternity, we parted and she had her usual "don't be sad" smile complete with a hand cupping my cheek.

"It can wait," she said somehow picking up on my thoughts.

She left for her neighborhood and I headed towards mine. Moments like that make me wish that there was some leniency in who I could marry. But duties come first.

* * *

When I reached my aunt and uncle's place, I entered to hear Kal in the office on a business call while Lily was in the kitchen watching TV. The program on TV was some movie way before my time but I recognized it as one of Lily's favorites. She chatted up with me about my date with Tiara and we talked a little until she glanced over at the clock hanging next to the patio doors.

"Oh! Would you mind running over to your stepmother's and see if Tikal needs any help with her errand?" said Lily. "Yuna-Li had a few more of your father's things she wanted to give us but is feeling a little under the weather so Tikal went over."

"Sure," I said and left the house.

Yuna-Li sick at this time of year? Yeah right. This is just one of the many "techniques" she uses to minimize contact with Kal and Lily. She doesn't like them, we're all aware of it. I wonder what stuff she has that she's trying to get rid of? Maybe some of father's old photo albums from when he was still with my birth mother. Or perhaps something else that she feels is of no value to her. It was hard to tell but I'm pretty sure my stomach was slowly turning on itself as I approached the picturesque house. Two heavy footsteps up the porch and there I was standing before the last place I wanted to be. Hopefully Yuna-Li is in bed too lazy to get up. My finger hovered over the doorbell button when I suddenly heard three muffled popping noises from within followed by a terrified scream. …Tikal? I listened pushing my ear against the door and I could just make out my cousin begging for someone to stop. Another loud pop went off and I banged against the door hoping Tikal was standing near it.

"Tikal! It's me, Knuckles!" I said. "Open the door!"

Several more gunshots went off with Tikal crying in terror. Damn it! I need to get in there! I entertained the idea of breaking one of the windows on the first floor and climbing in…but what if there was more than one robber with a gun? I'd be walking into a trap. I got it! There was one sure fire way of getting in that they probably wouldn't be aware of. My bedroom window. I usually kept it unlocked when I was living here. Not because I'd sneak out or anything. It just never seemed necessary to lock it at all. This was a safe neighborhood and my room was on the second floor with no downspout pipe near it. I rushed around to the back of the house and hesitated before slamming my fist into the pristine white exterior. It was a little unstable but my climb up didn't take too long. I ripped out the window screen and with it out of my way, I proceeded to push up against the window exterior…but it felt jammed. I tried again this time leaning into it as much as I could while still keeping my left fist embedded into the house. Shit. Yuna-Li must've locked it while I was gone. So much for sneaking in. Looks like I'll have to make a mess of things.

After shaking my right hand and stretching it a bit, I began to punch the window the pain stinging at first. Over and over again I slammed my fist harder and harder and with each hit the feeling in my hand numbed quickly over time. More gunshots went off and a natural adrenaline boost gave my next hit some more power. A hairline fracture appeared over the impact sight and I went for it again breaking the glass further with each follow up. Finally I broke through and saw that the material in my glove thinned severely resulting in some minor bleeding. After shaking glass shards off my hand, I climbed a little higher and moved a little closer to the window. Close enough so that my right foot was within decent kicking range of the shatter glass. I began to kick at the window breaking it in further and climbed in when the opening was large enough for me to enter unscathed.

The door to my bedroom was closed. Hopefully the robbers didn't hear me come in as I could still hear all the commotion downstairs. I cracked open the door and checked the hallway for anyone else. Empty. A few more gunshots when off as I came out and hurried over to the stairs. When I peered down at the first floor I caught a glimpse of Tikal running out of the dining room and heard her go down the hall and slam a door shut. It might've been the bathroom door. Just when I was ready to throw myself down the stairs at her pursuer, I stumbled to a stop catching myself on the second step down while gripping the banister. Yuna-Li walked out of the dining room in pursuit…holding up a gun at arm's length! She must've seen me in her peripheral view for she stopped and turned her head towards me…her eyes wide, heavy with bags, and slightly red like she hasn't been asleep for days. Her overall appearance was…a mess to put it simply. Hair mangled like a wild bush, dressed in her night gown and an open bath robe with specs of blood on the right towards the pocket, and…tennis shoes? She smiled at me…and I couldn't stop the shiver from running down my spine.

"Knuckles…" she said lowering her weapon, her arm quivering uneasily. "I'm so glad you're here. Now you can help me rid our family of the filth that's contaminating it."

"What are you talking about?" I held up my hands when Yuna-Li planted a foot on the first step.

"That _terrible_ _girl_ of course!" she said waving her gun in the direction Tikal hobbled off. "How she managed to be born with half of our blood is beyond me. So it's only right that we correct the mistake and discipline her parents."

What the hell? Is she serious? I'd ask Yuna-Li what was wrong with her but she suddenly crawled up the stairs and dragged me down by my ankle until I was at eye-level with her. The insanity on her face was more dire than it looked from a distance…and she hasn't bathed in a few days. Whatever her problem, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill illness. She was on something.

"It's a little hard for me to hit her with this gun," she said brandishing the weapon inches from my nose. "My muscles feel a little weak today. Yesterday they were fine but today! Oh! I'm just so glad you're here to help."

Handling a gun with an unsteady hand. I have to end this now. Not wanting to take Yuna-Li out of her mood and set her off, I gently removed myself from her grip.

"Yuna-Li," I said. "I'm sure whatever it is you're trying to do must require a lot of energy so why don't I just take care of it for you."

"You will? Thank you so much!" I cringed a little as the gun was waved near me again. "I knew you'd understand! You know how important your family bloodline is. I'm sure you'll get the job done quickly."

She shoved off eagerly down the hall. I took note of the mess in the kitchen as I passed; the stove burner still red hot with what looked like soup and a pot on the floor, one of the cooking knives missing from the knife set, a trail of blood right by the entrance, and a bullet hole in the kitchen window. I made my way down the hall and around the corner to the bathroom that was right next to the laundry room. Tikal's faint sobs could be heard from beyond the closed door. After motioning for Yuna-Li, eagerly peering around the corner, to wait in the living room I knocked on the door.

"Tikal, it's me," I said. "Can you let me in?"

"…I-is she still out there?" she said.

"No, it's just me."

It was faint but I could hear her struggle and then the lock clicked. I opened the door slowly and saw her on the floor, both of her hands gripping her left abdomen and covered in blood. What appeared to be a gunshot wound left a bloody trail starting at her right shoulder and ran down her arm. Shit. I should've gotten here sooner. I hurried and pulled a towel from the linen closet opposite of the half bathroom and went back inside locking the door behind me. Carefully, I was able to wrap the towel around Tikal's waist. She gritted her teeth trying to withstand the pain. Once she was wrapped up, her hands went right back to her side, to slow the bleeding, and I figured now would be a good time to piece together how the hell this happened.

"What happened here? Why is Yuna-Li doing this?" I said.

"I-I don't know," Tikal was fighting back more tears. "I came over about thirty minutes ago…and when I got here she didn't look too well." She paused to sniffle and I wiped her face with a wad of toilet paper. "So I…helped her to her room…and came down to the kitchen to make soup. That's when she…she…"

Her broken sobs started up again and I was careful in putting an arm around her for a light hug.

"I'll get you out of here," I said. "I promise. I just need to distract Yuna-Li and then we can leave and call the police when we get home."

Suddenly a crash against the door interrupted up. It was Yuna-Li and it sounded like she was kicking against the door while screaming at the top of her lungs.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU'RE SIDING WITH THE IMPURE BITCH AREN'T YOU? OPEN THIS DOOR! OPEN IT DAMN IT!"

Tikal couldn't help but cry out in fear again. Great. Now I have to think of a new escape plan. Two gunshots pierced the door, the second nearly missing my head. I immediately got up and threw open the door just as Yuna-Li was lifting her leg again for another kick. She reached over, yanked me out, and slammed me against the linen closet door while Tikal screamed for my safety. The barrel of the black gun was pushed against my forehead, and I squeezed my eyes shut while my cousin screamed out louder than before. Yuna-Li pulled the trigger…and the gun clicked. No bullets left. She frantically pulled the trigger multiple times leaving her vulnerable to an uppercut from me. Yuna-Li stumbled back and I took off for the living room hoping to draw her away from Tikal. Thankfully it worked as I heard my stepmother toss her gun aside and chased after me.

She tackled me to the ground and crawled her way up to my face as I struggled to wrestle her off. The moment she grabbed onto my neck with one hand and shoved her hand over my face with the other made me really wish she didn't keep her nails long and well manicured. I could feel some skin breaking on my face while my airway was closed off. The dizzying result of her actions only created another surge of natural echidna adrenaline within me and I slammed a fist into her cheek…but it didn't phase her this time. Again and again I hit her repeatedly in the same spot and, just like the upstairs window, she gave way and the last, forceful hit knocked her off balance. I grabbed onto one of the armchairs nearby and used it to pull myself up while taking in as much air as I could. Unfortunately, my mother was in full-on warrior mode. True to her heritage as a battle-inclined Knuckles Clan member. Looks like I had to tap into that part of my untainted heritage as well if I wanted to stand a chance against her.

She pounced on me from behind, hissing wildly while her nails dug into my face again, and I threw her over my shoulder onto the open area rug in the center of the living room. Yuna-Li came back at me throwing punch after punch, most of which I dodge easily or was forced to block with my arms. Whenever it was possible I snuck in a well place punch or two either somewhere on her face or her upper abdomen area. But, in all honest, it felt like she was getting faster by the second so getting in a fair hit became impossible after a minute of this wild frenzy. In the middle of our primitive battle filled with snarls, growls, and bared fangs Yuna-Li slammed her foot onto mine. My punch that was in mid-delivery failed clumsily and I fell into her arms. She had me right where she wanted. With both hands squeezing my shoulders, she reared her head back and slammed into mine with a dull thud that probably would've been heard by anyone nearby. The world spun. My brain shook as nerves of pain spider-webbed throughout and I leaned back against my own will into the wall behind me. Yuna-Li lifted her foot off of mine and proceeded to assault me with multiple hits to my jaw, a few to my stomach, and an unfair knee jab to my groin. The last doubled me over into her arms once more.

With ragdoll ease, I was tossed into the open area in the middle of the living room and could not, for the love of everything, recover from that groin hit. Not even the free flowing adrenaline dulled the pain enough for me to do more than gasp for breath while dragging my pitiful self away from the approaching Yuna-Li. With her uncharacteristic strength, she grabbed me by the neck once more but also clenched a hand on the still-sore groin area and I wanted to pass out. Into the air I went and I was a second away from another hit that would have me down for this fight. Yuna-Li almost roared as she tossed me halfway across the room into the glass cabinet that protected the Master Emerald. The cacophonous noise of breaking wood, shattering glass, and my cry of utter agony filled the house for the next few seconds. To make the defeat more humiliating, what was left of the cabinet crashed onto my weakened body and I gave up at that moment and shut my eyes.

…Son of a bitch. …It still hurts. At least I can move a little more now and I don't feel like I'm going to lose whatever food I ate today. Huh? …My hands. Something is tying them together…duct tape? And that smell…is that gasoline? From my vantage point on the floor, Yuna-Li has moved me over to the fireplace directly across from the scatter remains of the damaged cabinet and Master Emerald shards. …Shit. As for the remaining chunk of the cabinet, it was pushed against the front door so and easy escape wasn't feasible at this point. All that aside, I looked around to see if she brought Tikal out here as well.

"Tikal?" I said, my voice croaked a little.

…Nothing. Wait. What if she's already… Just then I heard footfalls coming down the stairs and Yuna-Li appeared with two large gasoline containers in hand. She disappeared into the dining room where I heard her set down the empty plastic containers. Is she seriously going to do what I think she's going to do? A loud click came from the other room…and seconds later Yuna-Li exited from the other dining room entrance near the front door. She mumbled to herself while dragging Tikal out by the collar of her blouse; the girl gagged and bound and probably unconscious. Or so I thought until I noticed my cousin stir. She stopped just before the remains of the Master Emerald and pulled Tikal around to her front and propped the girl up on her knees. The more I listened, the more I realized that she was muttering the ancient Echidna language to herself…a ritual? What's going on? And what was that clicking noise from earlier? I felt like a moron for asking another obvious question as, at that moment, Yuna-Li revealed her reloaded handgun in her free hand. …No! NO! The weapon was lifted up to Tikal's back and my heart pounded against my chest as I screamed at my stepmother to stop, her chanting growing louder and more insane by the second.

…A deafening pop briefly rang in my ears…and blood spewed out all over the area rug before Tikal. Simultaneously, her eyes widened with the shock of whatever unspeakable pain coursed through her and my unhinged cry echoed through the home. In the time it took for my cousin's body to hit the shard covered floor, I shot up, ripped free of the duct tape binding me, and charged straight for the maniacal bitch with a smile stretched wide across her arrogant face. The force I hit her with slid both of us into the dining room, the gun leaving her possession once again, and left her open for my bloodied fist. Yet as I came down for the hit, her hand flew up in an instant and caught mine.

Right there I immediately noticed a great difference in her strength and was soon wincing in pain when her vice-grip on me tightened and threatened to shatter my hand. I tried to defend with my other but she grabbed that one as well and overpowered me into standing up. I wanted to scream and give in at the pain of my joints being pushed to the edge but Tikal… She lay near us, blood slowly seeping out from underneath while she took her last few shallow breaths. I guess the shot missed her heart but her death was still imminent. Before I knew it, Yuna-Li was pushing down against me and I, too, was forced to my knees as my hands were slowly pushed back to the limit of breaking at the wrist. Any words I wanted to say to the woman would be no good now. The devilish glimmer in her eyes and the saliva gathering at the edges of her mouth spoke volumes to her state of mind. Whatever was left of my stepmother was gone, taken by whatever drug or toxin poisoning her.

At last she won and I cried out when the burning sensation in my hands and wrist became too much to bear. Yuna-Li released me but was quick to grab the back of my neck and slammed me face first into the floor with bits of emerald scattered across…and directly in Tikal's eyesight.

"Look," Yuna-Li hissed. "Look at the manifestation of the demons. Attempting to invade our family through her, filling your head with ideas of worldliness and a false open heart. And now she's dying…and with her all the threats to our family…for now."

The tears forced their way out. I didn't even attempt to stop them. If Tikal could speak she'd probably be saying goodbye to me at this moment. But she settled for saying it with her eyes…a tear fell from one. Father. Mother. This can't be what you wanted. What Sabre, Athair, or any of our ancestors wanted. How did it even come to this? It couldn't have been my fault. She was suffocating me! I needed room to breathe…to live! If only I wasn't so exhausted…I could…do something.

…Or maybe I can. No! I know I can! I can just feel it, a surge of energy. Energy that I've never felt before. What's going on now? It can't be the emerald shards I'm lying on is it? I remember Yuna-Li speaking of its powers and how the glass cabinet hid its energy signature so… Oh hell! What am I doing? I need to get up and start kicking this woman's ass. After three breaths I pushed myself as hard as I could off the floor and the force was enough to get Yuna-Li off and me onto my feet in seconds. A sore spot on my cheek burned hot with pain and I felt a hard substance tickle my cheek as I ran a hand across the wound. The faded green remains of the Master Emerald were on my hand when I held it away…looks like things are about to get a little interesting.

Yuna-Li launched herself at me and bulldozed me into the wall, deep enough to leave an impression. Yet the pain was minimal. In fact, most of the residual pain I had before disappeared the moment I felt the odd energy surge. Like it renewed me in some way. I retaliated with a head butt to her face and we went at it again with our demigod strength this time. Throwing each other across the living room, down the hall, into the kitchen, and through the dining room. We nearly tore the place down with punches that left gaping wall holes, furniture being tossed and torn apart with ease, and more snarls, snips, and growls that made junkyard dogs seem tamable. Our brawl, a gross understatement, looked more like a cartoon exaggeration of our ancestors. Something an overzealous movie director would create.

At one point while we were duking it out in the living room, I managed to force her through the wall between the living room and dining room. When she didn't come back for retaliation, I figured the hit knocked her unconscious. So I went to check on Tikal. Maybe I still had time to stop her bleeding and call for help. Upon checking my cousin still on the floor, I was shocked to see that the pool of blood seeping out from underneath her had faded leaving behind a red stain on the rug. …That doesn't seem right. Moving her was risky since I knew that when a person was injured they should be left where they are until medical help arrived…but something wasn't right. And not just the blood disappearing but also with Tikal. I felt…something coming from her direction. With ginger movements, I turned my cousin's body over…and a green light flushed over me and the immediate area around Tikal. The Master Emerald had reformed in her gunshot wound in the middle of her chest. Granted, not in its perfect diamond-cut shape but it was no longer a thousand shattered pieces on the blood-stained floor. What was even more amazing was that she breathed normally as I held her up in my arms. Whether this was good or bad was impossible for me to judge. The most powerful gem in the entire world merged with my cousin's body.

Just then, I could hear a light clicking noise come from the dining room. Before I could investigate, a roaring flame raced past the front door and around the edge of living room lighting up the hallway and most of the kitchen. Yuna-Li was back for round three. I raced to my feet with Tikal in my arms just as my stepmother climbed back into the living room through the hole in the wall. Splinters "decorated" her face and minimal clothing and it was more than clear she was out for my blood as well as Tikal's.

"If you can hear me stay still," I whispered to my cousin as I set her down near one of the armchairs that was well away from the fire. "I'll try to get us out of her as soon as possible."

The second I looked up was when I saw Yuna-Li coming at me full speed. I stumbled back a bit when our bodies collided and felt the hot flames dancing before the fireplace singe the tip of my tail. I have to make this quick or else we're all dead. In no time, I countered with a multi-hit punch combo that the deranged woman withstood but didn't let up as the fate of this family's future was in the balance. She came at me a few times with a few powerful hits. Despite a few getting through, I was honestly too distracted by the dire time limit the flames created. I managed to pull through and land some jabs and a hard kick here and there to destabilize her. Once Yuna-Li was dazed, it was my chance to end this short round. The final blow, so to speak, was a full on body slam into the floor. Not throwing her down and landing on her hard but physically tossing her up and subsequently punching her in her stomach and into the floor. Blood spurted out of her mouth like soda out of a shaken can.

"Now it's _your_ turn," I said as I grabbed Yuna-Li up with both hands.

As a way of returning the "favor" from before, I swung her around a few times before sending her flying out of the large window and into the front yard. If that didn't kill her then I hoped she at least got he message to stop fucking around with us. Now back to Tikal. An explosion came from upstairs sending a surge of flames charging down the stairwell and into the living room. Apparently the fire was quick in finding its way upstairs during the last bout with Yuna-Li. I crouched down next to Tikal not sure of where to go from there. I could easily feel the strength the Master Emerald gave me fade and the old pain from before returning. So forcing our way through the fire was out. I'd be stumbling outside with third degree burns. Steadily fatigue snuck up on me quicker than I suspected but since the fire was eating up all the oxygen I shouldn't be too surprised. It was then I began to consider tossing Tikal out the front window. I'm sure the neighbors are well aware of the fire at this point. I may have heard a scream or two outside right after I sent Yuna-Li on her way. So one of them, hopefully, would see Tikal fly out and try to help…or at least take care of her until Kal and Lily show up. As for me…? I-I really don't know. I should've been more careful… No, there was nothing I could've done to avoid this situation. It wasn't my fault all of this happened. Yuna-Li made the conscious decision to lose her shit and try to kill us. So despite my best efforts to survive…I couldn't. That paranoid bitch got the best of me in the end. I don't want to wish ill upon her because I know that this is _way_ out of character for her…but she needs some kind of punishment…and treatment. Damn it! Why can't I settle on her being punished!?

"Guardian," Tikal said in a distorted voice.

Much to my surprise, she was awake…I think. Her irises glowed a gorgeous, bright blue and the strange energy I felt before was even stronger now. Not only that, the heat of the fire was gone and the chemical heavy air felt much lighter and fresh. …What's going on?

"The blood is familiar. The energy…it lives within you now," Tikal said raising a hand to my cheek poked by the emerald shard. "Stay with me…Guardian."

I wasn't allowed a word in before a bright, blue light enveloped us with a soothing feeling. All the joints and muscles that ached healed and the confusing anger and sympathy smoothed itself out into content. What was that light? What's happened to Tikal? Why did she sound strange? So many questions I wanted to ask but I didn't feel compelled to say a word when we ended up in the backyard behind the house. I just felt…at ease. While I remained on my knees, Tikal stood before me…or someone masquerading as her did. I couldn't shake the feeling that the person standing before me wasn't my cousin but rather a very compassionate being. She smiled and placed a hand on my forehead.

"Your journey with me begins today," said the passenger within Tikal. "For now, let us find a safe haven."

My eyes felt heavy so I closed them. No fear, no worry. Strange. I didn't know the identity of this spirit and had no clue as to where it would take us. And yet I felt happy. Happier than I ever did in my entire life. Sure I'd be losing a lot; friends, a home, a community to socialize with. But I could easily make up for it with what I would gain once this spirit took us away. I may not know who it is that spoke to me, but it addressed me as Guardian and acknowledge the energy of the Master Emerald. Surely I would've met this spirit later on down the road. This was the path that was chosen for me at birth. I just reached my destination a little sooner because of the current circumstances. So leaving behind Emerald Town isn't a terrible thing in the end.

I opened my eyes and, just past Tikal, I caught a glimpse of someone running off into the trees behind the house. Who was that? You know…it doesn't matter. The life I was promised is starting right now. Everything felt right…everything except Tiara.

…

I'm sorry. I wish we could've had one last moment together. But I guess I'll have to settle for that little kiss.


	30. Dwindling Ranks

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Guardian  
_**Dwindling Ranks**

_June  
_Two years in a row. Something terrible has happened just at the start of summer two years in a row. It's not surprising the adults are on high alert now over the fear of some random maniac killing an innocent person, setting off a bomb, or committing some other terrorizing act. Knuckles and Tikal's family were devastated by the loss of those two and so was I. They were the only ones I grew close to on this side of town ever since I moved here. Even though I'm friendlier with a few more acquaintances, and have a new found appreciation for Mighty, it'll be hard for me to get out of bed knowing that Tikal and Knuckles aren't around. Not that I'm incapable of making new friends. I just don't like sudden changes constantly happening in my life. Something has to be consistent…at least for a few years. If only there was concrete evidence of what happened to them the day of the fire. So fall, all I know from news reports is that the two went Knuckles's home, his stepmom caused the fire using gasoline, and then she was found outside beaten heavily and under the influence of some unidentified drug. Not surprising, she was arrested once traces of gasoline was found on her. Any signs of what occurred inside the house were destroyed by the fire. It burned for so long that I remember seeing smoke from my window on the third floor of the apartment building. Even now, the remains of the house are still standing like some sick reminder of the event. I'd feel better if it was torn down but…I don't want my friends to be forgotten so easily.

The last day of school had already come and gone and that weekend the graduation ceremony for the departing high school seniors was held. Mighty and I attended in support of Vector, something that was decided months ago when it was originally going to be us and the echidnas. Not only were family and friends present, but hundreds of other students and parents showed up, many dressed in dark funeral colors. The auditorium wasn't filled completely, although Mighty and I had to sit up in the balcony area, but it was pretty packed. According to the programme of the event, there was going to be a short dedication to the two echidnas given by the middle school principal before the valedictorian speech.

"Tikal's parents were among those who donated to the auditorium building project," Mighty explained to me before the ceremony began.

It was somber at first with the heaviest moment being the short speech delivered by our middle school principal. But things lightened up afterwards with uplifting speeches by the valedictorian and salutatorian. The obvious high point of the ceremony was when students went up on stage to receive their diploma. Vector probably got the biggest cheer as he did a backflip off the stage after receiving his. Well, a cheer from students and few easygoing parents while most other adults frowned upon the prideful display. Once the final speech was given by the high school principal, the graduates (all one hundred of them) hurried outside. Mighty and I had got an early start rushing downstairs and out the doors in time to see the students toss up their caps. Vector had told us that he and his fellow graduates were planning to do this since the school forbade them from doing it indoors out of fear of unintentional injury to guests. After the cap toss, we weaved our way through the masses and found Vector with his usual circle of male friends.

"Hey! You guys made it!" Vector said once we got his attention.

"Only seems fair. You've done us a few favors here and there," said Mighty as he bumped fists with the crocodile.

Vector decided to pull us aside to talk after promising his friends he'd catch up with them at the party later.

"We all pitched in and reserved a party room at a nice restaurant downtown," he said when I asked about the party location. "But all that aside, sorry to hear about Knuckles and Tikal. Can't believe that happened to them. And just when Knuckles was starting to come out of his shell. He seemed like a decent guy."

There wasn't much Mighty or I could say. Just shrugged our shoulders uncomfortably.

"So!" the armadillo spoke up changing the subject. "Still going to Mobotropolis?"

"Of course! I love the big city! Lots of new faces, exciting things to do, and way more interesting job opportunities. I'm gonna bust my hump making a name for myself once I get there."

"Doing what?" I said.

"Hmm…not sure yet. You probably haven't realized it yet but I sort of take things as they come. You know, the excitement of life!"

Not exactly a concrete plan (or one that I agree with) but it's his life. He's legally an adult and is free to go about his business however he wants.

"Well, if that's how you do things then good luck," I said with a reluctant smile. "So what are you gonna do until then? You need a place to eat and sleep you know."

"I got that covered," Vector waved off my comment nonchalantly. "There's an old friend of mine who's already settled down in the city. I'll just stay with him until I get a job that'll pay for my own place."

"Awesome! Taking risks like a real man!" Mighty said with an over enthusiastic thumbs up.

Just then I saw Tiara walking away from the auditorium. It didn't look like she was with anyone. After pointing this out to Mighty, we said our last goodbye to Vector who had to leave anyway. Needed to stop by his house and change before heading off to the party. Apparently he wore formal clothes underneath his graduation robe. Mighty and I were careful upon approaching Tiara. We noticed that she was weeping as we got close so our mood changed.

"Hey Tiara," I decided to lead the conversation. "If we knew you coming, we would've kept you company."

She wiped off whatever tears that remained with her handkerchief.

"Thanks but I just wanted to talk to Knuckles's aunt and uncle," she said. "The last day we saw each other it looked like there was something he wanted to tell me. It was really bothering him so I just told him to hold it off. But now…"

"It's bothering you, right?" Mighty said.

Tiara nodded.

"I thought they might know what it was but they didn't."

She sobbed a little more into her handkerchief until a look of realization washed over her face. I could barely hear her whisper "I wonder" though I doubt Mighty picked up on this as she kept her mouth covered by the cloth and his hearing probably wasn't as sensitive as mine. When I asked about her thoughts Tiara looked over at me and cleared her throat.

"It's nothing. Just a random thought I had." Her gaze wandered off into the distance.

Just then, Tiara stuffed her handkerchief into her tiny purse wrapped across her shoulder.

"Thanks for talking to me," she said. "I guess I'll see you guys around."

…And she left and the same mystery that bothered her now nipped at us like a bad itch.

"Think we should go and look into it?" Mighty asked.

"No," I said. "Now's not really a good time to go digging into someone's personal life. Let's just find something else to do."

Even though Mighty never really went "snooping" around like I used to with Tikal, Sonic, and sometimes Knuckles, I was surprised that that was his first response. I guess he really was a good fit for our circle after all. As for finding something else to do…easier said than done. We spent a minute or two tossing ideas back and forth until both of us came to the conclusion that we were better off going home. And so we did.

Along the way, an odd idea came to me when I realized I was approaching Tikal and Knuckles's neighborhood. I decided to head over to the remains of Knucles's home. No real reason why. It just came to mind suddenly. What was left of the house could still be easily seen from the end of the block. A black, jarring thing standing out among the big houses lining the street. My heart took a dip the longer I stared at it upon my approach. An unnerving feeling of "That could've been my home back in the vills." From the there other chilling memories flooded out like the fire I accidentally caused, all the torture Silver and I put up with from Lucas and his friends, and the bomb incident last year where I witness Shadow murder Lucas before my eyes. All the more reason for the city to hurry up and tear this place down.

After spending a minute standing out front, I checked around to see if there were any neighbors out. All clear as far as I could see and I went around to the back of the house to see the extent of the damage. However, someone I did not expect was back there as well. Espio. Looks like had a growth spurt. A few inches since I last saw him a year ago. And his…ninja equipment (the best I could describe it) was a little different from what I remember. The same dark purple shoes but now he wore what looked like bandaged cuffs around his ankles and wrists. And the back of his hands seemed to be protected by a small guard the same color as his shoes. The only thing that hadn't changed, visually, was his belt with various equipment attached to it.

I wondered how long he'd been in town. During the few times I talked to Shadow, he never mentioned a word about Espio. Did they have some sort of fallout? I approached with some caution as the chameleon appeared to be praying or something. I wasn't sure. He stood in the center of the backyard with his hands held up together in front of his face like those Chun-nan priests I'd see in documentaries. When only a few meters separated us, Espio finally moved reaching calmly into a pouch on the left side of his belt and pulled out a small vial. He unplugged it and proceeded to empty its contents, which appeared to be water, in front of him sprinkling it about like some ritual. He closed up the vial and placed it back into the pouch…and that's when he finally acknowledged me. A silent nod was his way of greeting me after a year.

"What are you doing here?" I said.

"Cleansing," he said. His voice sounded a little deeper.

"Cleansing? What for?"

For a moment he remained silent looking away as if contemplating the right words to say.

"Transgressions," was the eventual reply.

"I'm not following. Did you do something? And why here of all places? " I said with a short glance at the house remains.

"I…I should get going," Espio said.

He leapt back just as I called after him and vanished in a small whirlwind of leaves. Whoa…where'd he learn to do that? Aside from that, what "transgressions" was he talking about? This is probably the only time I've actually wanted to see Shadow. For clarification purposes of course. I never wanted to have the thought but Shadow having a hand in this event…I feel even more ashamed for having an unintentional crush on him.

* * *

That night, sooner than I anticipated, my "wish" came true. I wasn't sure how long I was lying awake in bed, my mind busy with outrageous "what if" situation regarding Knuckles and Tikal's disappearance. But then it happened the moment I was able to close my eyes. A brief but bright light flashed causing me to bolt upright and look over at my desk. I couldn't see him at first in the pitch black room but then he turned on the small desk lamp and revealed his casual posture in my chair, one leg crossed over the other. Shadow took notice of my lack of a reaction.

"Expecting me?" he asked with a quiet voice and a sly smile.

"Kind of…" It never felt good giving in to his teasing.

"Very well. What's your complaint now?" He waved an uncaring hand.

"Espio. I saw him earlier today. I want to know what's going on 'cause he seemed pretty down about something."

The second I namedropped the chameleon, Shadow's eyes perked up with genuine surprise.

"Despite what you want to believe, I _don't_ always keep track of my associates," he said keeping quiet but taking on a stern tone.

"So you had nothing to do with the fire that destroyed Knuckles's home? That's where I saw him and he looked like he was carrying a huge weight on his shoulders."

He suddenly bit his lower lip as if he was trying hard to hold back an outburst. Shadow muttered something to himself. What it was my ears couldn't decipher as the words were muddled together. He calmed himself, at last, before speaking.

"What I know of that incident is the same public information that you and everyone else knows," said Shadow. "I was miles away from here at the time. Taking care of business that's of no concern to you."

"So you never saw him while you were away?"

"Not exactly. I met up with Espio once. He helped me out with something I needed to do and then returned back to…whatever he's been doing since last summer. Training or something along those lines."

Training huh? Guess that explains Espio's disappearing trick from earlier. With no warning, Shadow reached over and turned off the desk lamp. It was obvious he was done with the conversation but I stopped him and he turned the lamp back on.

"What?" he said with a flat tone.

"J…just…"

For some reason I lost the will to say anything. Probably had to do with the fact that Shadow was clearly upset over something I said. I guess the news about Espio's sudden appearance really was new to him. At least he wasn't on the edge of going on another terroristic rampage. In the midst of my stammering, Shadow got up, sighing over my loss of words, and sat on the edge of the bed near me. I could tell that he wanted to reach out for my hand. His was moving with anticipation but he restrained himself.

"I'm not doing anything that'll cause you any trouble," he said speaking softer than before. "And I had _nothing_ to do with the arson. Those echidnas were never a concern of mine. Heh. Just meaningless distractions as far as I cared."

Would it kill him to **not** say something condescending about my friends? After that, Shadow reached over and turned off the lamp. A blue flash lit up the pitch dark room again and he was gone. The thought of Espio rebelling against Shadow was a little nerve wracking. If that hedgehog doesn't have anyone to rely on now, then he might lash out again. Or worse…try even harder to pull me into his ranks. "This sucks" feels like an understatement in this situation.


	31. Shadow: The Plan

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Shadow: The Plan**

_June  
_It didn't take long for me to catch up to Espio. It's only been a week since Blaze divulged his presence in town and already he's shown how damn good he is at evading and hiding. But it'll be a cold day in hell before someone can outrun me when I'm on the hunt. I managed to chase him down to the abandoned firehouse downtown that used to be our meeting spot. Hasn't changed at all after a year. He was cornered on the inside and I pinned Espio against the wall holding him by the neck. As an added bonus, I lifted him up off the ground and he squirmed in my grasp. The next ten minutes were spent in contemplation as I mulled over various things that preoccupied me at the moment. G.U.N., gathering the Chaos Emeralds, Blaze… When I noticed Espio remove a kunai from his belt clasp, I released the pitiful chameleon before he had a chance to strike. He fell to the concrete floor gasping for air and his weapon clinked landing by my shoes at which point I kicked it away.

"Now then. How about you explain yourself to me one more time." I used my foot to shove him against the wall by his abdomen. "And this time it better be the truth."

He sputtered out a few more incoherent words before he was able to speak.

"Not…not everyone is as detached from the world as you are," he said.

"Duly noted," I responded. "Doesn't do much to help your case."

Maybe I should play my ace card. Seems like a good time to pull it out. I stepped back from Espio allowing him to stand.

"Are you sure you want to go down that route?" I said. "Even with the kid's life on the line?"

A subtle look of regret and frustration washed over him. Whatever rebellious confidence he had deflated immediately with the reality of his situation. Feel-good speeches of righteousness and justice are all nice and good but life is a callous slave driver. Forcing you to do "what needs to be done" as opposed to "what you want to do."

"Why drag him into this?" said Espio. "He's just a kid who has nothing to do with you."

"It's not my fault he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd pin all of that on you Mr. Justice," I said leaning back against the wall next to him. "No one forced you to take the kid away from his village destroyed by _your_ former clan. That was your decision. Along with deciding to come back to me for protection from the very same 'family' that trained you. I figured you smart enough to abandon me, especially after the nonsense I pulled last year. But apparently you're nothing without me; a stray dog desperate for a master. So you have no right to be pissed at me for twisting you like this. If you want to stay with me, you work for me and do as I say. And throw away those ideals of justice and heroics. You haven't been tainted like the rest of the population by a certain blue vigilante, have you?"

Espio shook his head and kept his eyes off of me. Good. I'm not too pleased with Sonic's actions as of late. Drawing more of the human's ire towards us Mobians. Raising unnecessary tension among radical factions. Making it harder for me to obtain the emeralds with G.U.N. on high alert. It's hard enough to get an emerald that's already in their possession. Prison Island and my short partnership with Robotnik taught me that. That's why I've been focusing more on nabbing them when an emerald crosses over into our realm. From there, it's just a matter of getting away with it fast enough and disappearing without a trace.

"Is that how you see me? As a pet?" Espio's usually quiet tone started to rise in a displeasing way. "What about all of those times I saved your tail from getting killed? Dr. Robotnik stealing the Chaos Emerald from you last year? The bomb situation here in town? What we were doing a few weeks ago at the G.U.N. base in Chun-nan? There's no way you would've made it through those situations without me!"

"You're right." An astonished look overtook Espio after I said this and he stepped back from my personal space. "I needed a second man in on those jobs…and someone to reel me in during my minor breakdown last year. You're not completely dependent on me like a dog, that much I'll acknowledge."

In a split second, I slammed my hand into his stomach using only an ounce of my energy. Easy for someone like me to withstand but probably unbearable for an average shmuck like Espio. He doubled over holding his stomach as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"But don't think I'm not aware of the fact that you, too, have an urge to constrict me out of some ridiculous notion of 'compassion' and 'moderation.' _I_ alone decide how far I will go. _I_ alone will be the judge of my strength. And _I _alone will determine who is worth keeping in my circle. I'll reward you with a compliment for improving your abilities but the disruption of our dynamic can't be ignored. I'm busting my ass here working on a plan to retake ARK, so to have this situation with that kid brought in now is an inconvenience I won't put with. You're ideals and feelings of remorse are _not_ getting in between me and my goal. So to ensure that doesn't happen I chose to use that brat as leverage against your will. Does that make me a bastard? Perhaps. But I'm not one to be trifled with!"

Moments passed while Espio regained his strength and when he finally stood, it seemed my explanation got through to him. The emotionless, business expression returned to his face. All was well.

"…I couldn't live with what I did, following your orders and making that woman suffer. I had to do something to cleanse my conscious," he said with his eyes focused elsewhere.

"But you got the results of the experiment, right?" I said.

"Of course." He reached into his side pouch on his belt and took out a small usb stick. "The readings from the chaos energy measure are on here as well as some notes I made after the incident."

Perfect obedience. I guess all of that huffing about justice was just hot air. A kid pretending to act like an adult. I took the memory stick from Espio with a gratified smile.

"So…how bad was the damage?" There's no point in hiding my genuine interest in how the experiment turned out.

"Extensive." My associate took a moment to gather his thoughts. "She pulled a weapon on her own family, tried to kill the girl, and then turned her anger against Knuckles. Probably because he opposed her. I'm not sure of the exact details. The listening device I was using kept getting interference from the chaos energy within the woman. Eventually it grew so strong I couldn't hear a thing through the equipment and I was afraid the energy measure would get damaged. But it also started to sound like two titans were going at it inside the house. And that's what I heard _with my own ears._"

YES! This is just what I was hoping for! The strength increase caused by a shot of pure, liquid chaos energy. Judging from Espio's account, the solution needs some tweaking to decrease the energy output in the subject to keep their conscience in check. But I finally have a viable way of reclaiming ARK while maintaining enough energy to fight off G.U.N. Being able to host a Chaos Emerald is nice but I'd rather have the power without the debilitating side effects of my physical energy and special abilities peaking and taking a dive in intervals. Keep myself going with a simple shot to the arm and come down off of it hours later like a well-balanced energy drink. It'll take weeks to refine the current formula, but the end results will be worth it. It appeared that Espio had more details to divulge. Troubling details by the look of his expression.

"Just as I was about the leave, Knuckles and the girl appeared in the back yard. The energy measure was through the roof so I was curious if one of them had been infected by the woman. It's…it's had to explain what happened after that. I felt…relaxed…like there wasn't a care in the world. And the girl…Tikal…she had her back towards me but I'm sure I saw a light coming from her. A green light."

His eyes glazed over with the somewhat pleasant memory and I found myself frozen in fear of what he said. The light that Espio described combined with the energy spike…it must've been the Master Emerald. When I asked what became of the echidnas, the chameleon said they disappeared. Dammit…I'm going to need another associate to help gather the Chaos Emeralds. And not just anyone with an enormous amount of strength. I need Blaze. I need her fire power. It appeared that Espio caught onto my troubled body language as I paced back and forth figuring out a sure-fire way of bringing that girl over to our side.

"Was it something I said?" Espio asked. "I doubt you have to worry about Knuckles or Tikal interfering with your plans."

"Yes I do!" I shot him a piercing glare before returning to my pacing. "The fact that those two have the Master Emerald with them changes everything."

"Master Emerald? You mean—"

"Yes, an emerald more powerful than the seven Chaos Emeralds. So it's been with that family all along... They must've had some kind of casing that hid its energy signature." That's something I'll have to look into at another time. "What's important now is that you understand who we're up against. During my scavenger hunt for information on refining Chaos energy, I learned that Knuckles is from the one and only family of Guardians to the Master Emerald. Hardly anyone is aware of their existence. Just a select few in their coveted circle."

Espio shot me a suspicious look that begged to know how I became privy to such sensitive information.

"You know damn well I have no problems with sullying my hands. Some things just require that much force." I could still feel the phantom pain in my hands from beating that poor old echidna to a bruised and blood soaked pulp. "In any case, what this means for us is that those Guardians are, possibly, a bigger threat to this mission than G.U.N. I can easily take down a few tanks here and there and sabotage a fighter jet or two to throw off the army. But a powered up protector of the most dangerous item in this world crosses my line of comfort. His family dedicated themselves to a thankless task, hiding from everyone including their own species. Who knows what kind of connection they've built with the emerald over the centuries."

"So the plan is on hold again until you can find an adequate way to fight these Guardians?" said Espio.

"No, we're still going full force from here on out," I said. "ARK is too valuable to be left sitting in orbit gathering dust. That being said, Blaze **has** to join us."

At that moment, Espio crossed his arms in what appeared to be…disappointment? Even if he does have a full range of emotions like any normal being, I'll openly admit to being ignorant of the majority of them.

"_Now_ she's essential to have?" he said. "As opposed to all the other times you went on about getting her to join us but never put any real effort into it? What makes you so sure that she's the one who can stand her ground against Knuckles?"

Okay. I walked right into that one spouting off my desperation for Blaze. ...And I suppose it's too late at this point to try and feebly cover up my blushing cheeks. I settled for turning my back and speaking to him quietly.

"There's potential in her. I just know it." I said…and I believed it with all my heart.

"You said you saw potential in me and yet here we are, a few years later, master and **dog** as far as you're concerned."

"This time **I'm serious!**" I said spinning on heel and getting in his face. "I'm not just guessing about the potential in Blaze. I feel it. I sense it. _It's there._"

"…Are you sure that's your logic speaking to you and not your heart?"

The moment the last syllable left Espio's lips, I had him pinned against the wall again. This time sparing him suffocation by keeping his feet planted on the floor. My thoughts were suddenly clogged up; a mixture of various responses to the chameleon's smartass attitude and flashing images of Blaze along with the fleeting emotions that came with them. In the end, all I could muster up in response was a frustrated grunt and I released my associate with regret.

"Get out," I growled. "I need time to think."

He was gone within seconds accompanied by a light breeze. How he left I didn't care as I was off pacing again through the empty firehouse.

* * *

After hours of aimless wandering throughout the town, mostly to fuel my brainstorming, I worked my way back over to the grove of trees near Blaze's apartment complex by sundown. Still no concrete solution on how to convince her to join me. Just a head full of sentimental images and conversations with her. _What is wrong with me?!_ I've never been this unbalanced before! Not since that ugly incident with Dr. Robotnik. Ugh. Even if it's the last thing I do with my life, I'll make that rotund backstabber pay for stealing _my_ emerald. Okay…I need to settle my thoughts. Clear my head. Do something! When my own wavering heart refused to calm down, I reached my limit and slammed my head into a nearby tree. …The silence that followed was more than welcomed. Along with the first coherent thought I had in hours. Blaze was just as stubborn about herself as I was about me. So, in the end, we'd accomplish nothing except continuously butting heads with each other despite her clear infatuation with me. Seems like the only time I had any impact on her was last summer when I killed that boy. Perhaps that's it. She needs to be exposed emotionally in some way. Though I doubt the same type of trauma will work a third time. She maturing just as I am and probably won't hesitate to use her powers with more force. No, I need to find another weakness in her to expose. Something that'll hit close to home and be just as painful. …Of course. I'll go after that armadillo and use him to reach Blaze. Gawking at her with eyes hungry for an emotional response. Telling her his personal thoughts freely. Yearning to touch her...affectionately. He may keep his distance but I can read his intentions as clear as day. I'll lure him in. Antagonize and question his true feelings for her. That'll get him on guard and urge him to protect what's "his." And if there's one thing Blaze doesn't like it's being kept in a bottle.

However, I'll need to observe him a little more closely. Get a better understanding of him and his interactions with family and acquaintances. And Blaze...I'll have to swallow my pride and leave her be for now. I can hate myself later for what I'm about to put her through…as well as the heartache I'll suffer. The end justifies the means. I set off deeper into the grove heading for Mighty's home ready to sit through a long night of observation.

Becoming fate…or an ersatz of it. The longer my life continues, the more I wonder how far I can go before I go off the deep end.


	32. Silver: Foreshadow

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Silver: Foreshadow**

_August  
_So I heard from Bean that some kids on the other side of town disappeared after a house caught on fire…and that Blaze may have been friends with them. I wonder how she handled the situation. Probably the same way she'd handle anything else stressful. With a straight face while keeping her emotions tucked away for an appropriate time to let them out. Man, I wish I could go over there and just talk to her. I don't like the idea of her losing friends again.

It was the last weekend before the start of school and I found myself bored out of my mind surfing through TV channels. I stopped on a news program when I saw Sonic and his Freedom Fighter friends standing before a crowd of cameras with tons of Mobians around them. It was a little weird seeing all the news stories about them over the past six months. Especially since Sonic was so much younger than the four others with him. A middle aged fox with brown hair and an eye patch, a female fox standing close to him with auburn hair, a lean female wolf with black and white hair flowing into a long braid, and a hedgehog (with teal fur I think) wearing a brown, hooded vest and…a bow and a quiver arrows on his back. Neat. They've hardly done interviews and I don't know much about the other older members aside from their names. But I'm willing to bet that Sonic never thought this would happen to him. The news story started to go in depth of the Robian situation detailing how a military barrier was set up around the island the factory was built on and how several inhabitants have tried to flee only to be caught and destroyed by the monitoring G.U.N. forces. I never had a strong opinion on the whole political side of it. I just thought it was unfair to those Robians who wanted to go back home but couldn't.

Suddenly mom came down and turned off the TV.

"I need you to make a run to the store for me," she said dropping a piece of paper in my lap and an envelope of money. "I need these for dinner and before you ask, I'm busy with other errands right now. So get to it."

I wasn't going to ask anyway. I got up, put my shoes on, and headed outside with the short list of three items and the envelope of money.

* * *

I went down to the busy market area and dashed in and out of the convenience store with the items mom needed. On my way back home, I was ambushed by Honey from behind. She almost knocked me over but my legs held up under her small frame.

"Hey sweetie!" she said pecking me on the cheek with a short kiss.

"You know we just saw each other yesterday," I said. "No need for the overblown greeting."

She hopped off my back and stomped around to my front pouting with her cute cheeks puffed up and hands on her hips. It was hard holding back a laugh at how adorable she looked.

"You're such a mood killer," she said. "I was just trying to be romantic."

"I know, I know," I said to calm her. "So why are you out here?"

"Just met up with my friends from dance class." She latched onto my arm as she usually did when we were together. "Things have been going pretty well for me. I'll finally get to take center stage at our next performance. You should come. It'll be at the Performance Hall downtown next month."

"Sounds nice. I'll ask my parents about it."

Lately, Honey's dance classes outside of school have been doing a lot for her lately. She's gained a few more friends, gotten more popular at school, and doesn't argue with Bean too often over dumb stuff. She brought up the topic of her summer vacation to the beach. Talked about how great the resort was and how she learned how to ride a boogie board.

"It's not as cool as surfing but dad said I was good at keeping my balance," she said. "So what about you? Anything interesting happen during the break?"

"Well…I learned how to make hamburgers by hand," I said smiling.

I was met with a deadpan look from Honey. Something told me she was expecting a slightly more exciting story out of me.

"Is that all?" she said.

Maybe I should try to spruce it up a little.

"I know it sounds boring but it's, surprisingly, harder than it sounds!" I forced out the excitement a little too much. "The meat is _really_ cold so molding a few patties can be a real pain after a while. But you can also add stuff into the meat too like peppers, pickles, carrots—"

"Ok stop!" Honey stopped me laying a hand on my chest. "Just…stop. Hamburgers? Really?"

She seemed genuinely upset and I didn't understand why. She knows my family is a little different from hers and can't do all the exciting things her family does, so what's her problem? What's she expecting from me?

"I'm not rich like you are so I didn't go on any grand vacation like you did," I said.

"That's not the problem Silver," she said. "I get that you don't go out of town as often I as do but that doesn't mean you can't find something remotely interesting to do around here."

"…Are you serious? You expect me to do stuff that you think is interesting during my free time? You want my life to be extravagant like yours?"

"That's not what I mean sweetie." She huffed out in slight frustration. "It's just that I'm getting popular and doing all these fun things and even more kids pay attention to me."

"So?"

"So…when my friends bring you up…I don't really have a lot to say." Honey twiddled her fingers. "I'm not with you and the guys that often anymore so I don't know what's going on with you. And when we do spend time together you don't have any interesting stories to tell. Just boring normal stuff…"

Boring normal stuff? I can see how everything I do may look boring to her but why is it so bad now? Why does she need me to do fun things for the sake of her social life? I thought Honey liked me for who I was. But now she expects me to be just as busy as she is.

"You do realize how weird it sounds asking me to do exciting things just so you can talk to your friends," I said.

"It's not as weird as you're making it. I just want you to…be more…active. Do other stuff aside from hanging out with the guys and going home. Join a club, pick up a hobby that gets you around others—"

"In other words be popular just like you."

"N-no! Well, um…maybe. Argh! I just think it'll be in your best interest if you were someone important again like when you fought Lucas and his friends!"

"Someone important? How can you say that?" Really! How could she say that _to my face_? "How long have I _not_ been important to you?"

"I don't mean it like that!"

"Then what are you saying? You're confusing me!"

"Just be quiet!"

It was hard to hold back other things I wanted to say but Honey's frustrated expression meant that her words were more important right now. I gave her a few seconds to put together her thoughts.

"I know how selfish I sound for saying this but…I like all the attention I'm getting because of my dancing and my friends," she said. "It's great to go out and talk to others about what I'm learning and my performances and…when they ask about you it's almost like they're disappointed. I even heard someone say that I'm only with you out of pity. It's like they forgot about how great you were after you beat up Lucas and his friends. How you were a hero for the kids who always got picked on."

She was right about that. Even thought my fight with Lucas and his friends was only about year and a half ago, it seems like it happened ages ago. Things move really fast for kids. Trends, clothing, slang words, and incidents. So many other things have happened since then and I've kinda lost that group of people who were only interested in me because of the stories surrounding me. I'll admit to missing the feeling of being a hero but I won't miss all the pointless attention from curious onlookers. Bean, Bark, and Honey are enough for me. As far as her feelings were concerned, I couldn't fully understand them because I've never lived her life. Not even my brief moment as school hero was as busy and exciting as what she's been doing lately. So my response to her worries was pretty obvious.

"What does everyone else have to do with us?" I said. "Why do you care about their opinions so much? I love you. Isn't that enough?"

"Of course it is but this isn't the only relationship in my life, Silver," she said. "I have other types of relationships going on. Friendships, rivals, other dancers from other studios… If I don't appear strong and put together in their eyes then it could have an effect on my becoming a professional. They may gossip about me to someone who knows someone who's a talent scout or something and I could miss out on my chance to make it big somewhere!"

"So this isn't about us. It's just about you!"

Honey was taken aback by my statement. Her eyes widened with a hint of pain in them.

"It's just about you and your imaginary fears of something that's years away from now. You're thirteen! You're only a few months older than me and _I_ have a better view of reality than you! It's weird how you've become obsessed with appearances and _looking_ great and believing that you'll have everything you'll want when you're an adult. Why can't you just be content with what you already have? Why can't you just be the girl you were when we started dating?"

"Because this is MY LIFE Silver! And I can't keep going if you're not going to try and keep up with me!" For a moment, her eye trembled and watered up but Honey held back her tears. "This is what I want to do and you just being…_average_ is dragging me down. I want us to be a strong couple. I don't want to do this alone."

For the first time since…well since we became friends two years ago, Honey cried right before me. Sure I was upset at her but not because I thought she was a hurtful person. She was confusing me with what she was trying to say and I had a hunch that she never meant to say those words in the first place. Yeah they were unbelievable coming out of her mouth but I got a sense of distress in her tone and how frantic she became in the past few minutes. I'm not entirely sure but I think the stress of keeping up appearances is starting to get to her. I pulled her into a hug while she continued to sob quietly.

"I'll go anywhere with you, Honey," I whispered to her. "You just can't expect me to be as active or as popular as you. But I'll support everything you do."

She gently pushed away from me wiping her tears and nodding her head.

"Of course," she said. "I'm sorry. I need to get going."

Honey took off for her home and I lingered a bit before I noticed the bag of groceries by my feet. I must've dropped them when I went to hug her. Luckily none of the items were damaged.

* * *

After getting home with the items, and withstanding a nagging speech from mom for being late, I finally had a chance to wind down in my room. As I laid on my bed, I kept thinking about what Honey said. Even though it wasn't intentional and she was just stressed out, she did make a few good points. I don't do much aside from chores, hang out with Bean and Bark, and watch TV. I didn't even use my powers once since last year. Of course, it was out of fear of my parents at first but now I can't say why I haven taken the chance. I think they might let it slide if I were to go someplace out of the way and do a little training on my own. Nothing serious. Just getting use to my abilities and seeing what I can do. Speaking of which, how far can I really go with my powers at this point? Better play it safe and just stick to whatever I can manage.

* * *

The next day, activity around the house was minimal with mom and dad preoccupied with their hobbies; dad playing the violin in his study and mom out in the garage fixing the lawnmower. Looks like I had the perfect the opportunity to sneak out for some practice with my abilities. I played it safe and went out the back door and through the trees behind my house. After some maneuvering through a few other neighborhoods, I wound up north of town where the landscape opened up into vast fields with the Mobian Divide mountains far off on the horizon. The sun shined bright, a light breeze blew in north across the waves of tall grass, and the summer warmth was at the right temperature to keep me focused.

Okay what should I make my first target? I searched around for something small easy to handle…and settled on a stick nearby. It was a decent size, roughly the same size as the batons the cheerleaders would use sometimes in their routines. I set the object down on a low, flat rock behind me and took a few steps back. Now to activate my powers…how did I do it last year? Let's see…when I first used them accidentally it was in my sleep and woke up to see the results. I don't remember if I had a dream or not that night but I do remember the wavy feeling going through me. And the second time after that…was when Blaze was in danger from the bomb wrapped around her waist. That time I just thought of reaching out and grabbing her and the belt with the bomb on it slipped off…as if my telekinesis knew what my intentions were. Hmm...I wonder.

I held out a hand towards the stick and thought of it floating in midair. …Nothing happened. I shut my eyes and even visualized the stick floating in darkness but when my eyes opened nothing happened. Damn. What am I not doing right? What was so different about all the other times I used my powers? Think, think, think. Argh! …Wait! There it is! That unusual sensation is coursing through me again. And there's an aura around me. Anger is the key! Anger must be how I did it the other times. Just to be sure, I held up my hand towards the stick and it floated into the air right on command. YES! The stick twirled around with a flick of my fingers and did all sorts of acrobatics as I moved it around with my hands. The midair dance concluded with a flick of my wrist that sent the stick flying high above my head and I felt absolutely on top of the world.

At least until a sudden explosion occurred behind me and shot me face first into a tree several feet away. I slumped to the ground, my face pounding and extremely sore from the impact and my vision blinded by the chunks of bark stuck to my face. For a while I could've sworn the world was spinning around me…or at least my brain was spinning. Regardless of what was actually spinning, one thing I was sure of was the muffled sounds of explosions coming from the direction of the fields. Loud grunts and shouting accompanied the booming noises and bursts of air that blew my way. And then, as fast as it had happened, the commotion ended quickly and I was still disoriented with blurred vision. I rolled onto my back and touched my face only to writhe from the intense pain. Carefully I lifted my eyes open allowing a slit of light in and could only make out the blue sky and blurry clouds overhead. At that moment someone stepped into my frame of view, obviously blurred and beyond recognition.

"Hey kid are you—oh shit…" the adult's voice said.

He backed away quickly and I struggled to sit up and ask him for help. But another gust of wind blew at my face. I called out for the adult over and over again but no reply. I took the next few minutes to carefully remove pieces of bark from my face, all while getting glimpses of blood on my hands. Finally, when I was able to open my eyes completely and make out more than blurred shapes I looked out towards the northern fields.

"…Whoa…"

My jaw dropped at the sight of large chunks of upturned dirt scarring the previously undisturbed grassy slope. Small bowls of dirt, that looked to have been caused by mini explosions, dotted the area here and there and sent a chill down my spine. What the hell just happened? And who was that guy that was here seconds ago? A sudden sinking feeling in my stomach got the best of my nerves and I headed away from there as fast as I could. It was a frantic and heart pounding dash home where I stumbled my way through the trees, a few neighborhoods, and ended up in my back yard. It never crossed my mind to try and be careful when dashing inside through the back door. The thought of my parents seeing my wounds that is. And that's what ended up happening. The second I flew in from the back porch, I ran right into dad who was setting the dinner table. The collision caught mom's attention as well and the two of them looked at me in genuine surprise.

"What happened to your face?" dad said kneeling down and gently taking my sore face in his hands.

I tried to answer but nothing came out and mom came over to inspect as well.

"Looks like you had a run-in with a tree…or something made of wood," she said.

I nodded to confirm her guess and that's when dad took me by the hand and led me to the upstairs bathroom.

"Silver, you're almost thirteen. I shouldn't have to tell you to be careful when you're out playing," he said as he took a warm washcloth and proceeded to clean my wounds.

"Sorry dad," I croaked out.

"So what spooked you?"

I winced when the cloth washed over one of the open wounds on my face.

"A bug," I said.

"Really?" Dad rinsed off the cloth under the faucet before continuing to clean my face. "I thought you grew out of your bug fears."

I laughed though it was short lived as the pain from my cheek burned. In reality, I'm still curious as to what happened out there at the edge of the forest. I can't really say a bomb went off. It sounded more like a fight exploding out of thin air judging from the voices I heard. And who was that guy who approached me? How'd he disappear so fast and where did he go? Damn. If I was expecting something bad happening, it would be my parents finding out about my personal training time. But this? I'm not even sure what to make of what happened.

…Even so, it's been sending major chills down my spine all the way home.


	33. First Encounter

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**First Encounter**

_September  
_Life continued on as the new school year began. It was back to the usual morning routine of walking the same path to school. Only this time Tikal and Knuckles wouldn't be waiting for me there. However, almost as if to make up for the loss of those two, I've gained a new travel companion in Mighty. Since we weren't in the same grade and our schedules were a little inconvenient, the morning walks were basically our time to catch up on whatever we were doing away from each other outside of school. As expected, Mighty kept himself fairly busy over the summer but laments not being able to visit his dad out in Knothole.

"With all the protesting going on over the plans to build a G.U.N. base out there, my uncle felt it was best that my aunt and I stayed here instead of making our yearly trip to visit dad," said Mighty.

"I think the military should stop before someone decides to get violent and really cause trouble," I said.

"You too huh? It's almost surprising how polarizing the opinions are."

"Really? So there isn't an overwhelming majority against a G.U.N. base in the middle of the central continent?"

"According to the stuff I read online. Some people are against it and others take a 'just give it up already' approach."

"I'm sure those people just want to avoid another war and aren't as apathetic as you're making them sound."

Mighty shrugged at the suggestion but, in the end, the situation is what it is.

"Sometimes I wish that Sonic would swoop in and get dad out of there but…heh, wishful thinking right?"

"If you have to ask…"

"Yeah, yeah… Plus, we haven't talked since he left town last year so I doubt he'd do a special favor like that for me when there are others with much more serious problems."

I think it's time this conversation steered away from the doom and gloom of the world's problems. It wouldn't be ideal for Mighty to start off the school year weeping over nothing. Since my new homeroom teacher this year was the same one Mighty had last year, I figured he could give me any tips on what she was like.

"Nothing worth warning you about," he said. "She can seem a bit crabby but that's just how she is. Don't let her scare you too much."

Just before I could respond, we heard some cheering along with what sounded like a leaf blower nearby. Not too far from us in a clearing between some houses was a group of kids, most of them wearing our school uniform. Neither Mighty nor myself could think of anyone that could draw a crowd like that aside from Sonic so we decided to investigate. As we drew nearer, a familiar kid soared, briefly, into the air with a slick, green board attached to his feet riling up the crowd into another cheer.

"Was that Jet?" Mighty asked.

"Probably unless there's another bird running around town with wild looking feathers on his head," I said.

We reached the circle of kids and could just barely make out Jet through the mass along with his usual "buddies" Wave and Storm. But more importantly, all three of them appeared to be carrying brightly colored boards. Well, at least Jet and Wave's boards were brightly colored (green and pink respectively). Storm's looked to be about as gray as his feathers. Right in the middle of giving hi-fives and talking to other kids, Jet's eyes immediately spotted me in the back and he made a beeline shoving his way through the onlookers. Oh great. I can't tell if he's happy or mad to see me.

"Blaze! It's been ages!" he said holding out an inviting arm while clutching his slick board in the other. "I was just about to jet off to look for you."

"We didn't exactly part on friendly terms. In fact I haven't seen any of you guys since...last year." I was genuinely surprised it had been that long.

"Yeah well…things got a little boring and I felt that a major life change was in order."

"Say what?"

At that moment, Jet began to order the crowd to disperse and Wave and Storm followed suit using their older status to clear the group faster. In seconds it was just myself, Mighty, and the bird trio. With his overly haughty attitude, Jet propped up his board next to him and displayed its smooth, solid green paint job. Not that Mighty and I were impressed by it. We were more concerned with _what_ it was.

"Air Gear!" Jet said making a grand gesture towards the metal object with his free hand.

…The explanation we were waiting for was either on delay or Jet said it so fast we missed it completely.

"And that is…?" I made my own hand gesture inviting him to elaborate.

"It's what your eyes are looking at. Sheesh," Wave said stepping forward.

I couldn't pinpoint what about her got worse since last year: the fact that she still wore the same midriff exposing outfit despite getting older or her voice and attitude.

"Even though this is just another prototype of _my_ invention, it's a much better improvement over the first version," the swallow said brushing a hand through her long, well defined pigtails.

Everything. Everything about her has gotten worse.

"Looks…interesting." Mighty's attempt at modesty was nice but unnecessary. "I'm guessing you can do tricks with it from what we saw a few minutes ago."

Wave turned up her nose, probably because what my friend said was an understatement for her, and Jet filled in.

"It's not just for fooling around and pulling off tricks," said the green hawk. "This is going to be our ticket to success!"

"Yeah! World Grand Prix, here we come baby!" Storm finally said in a rather abrupt manner.

Ah. So that's what they're aiming for. The most competitive sports and technology competition in the world. The next few seconds felt like a comedy act with Jet going over to Storm and whacking him on the head while Wave scrambled to keep Jet's board from falling to the ground. I doubt the things were _that_ delicate (Storm's board was slightly thicker than the other two) so it must've been Wave's motherly instinct for her mechanical "babies." The three birds recovered, with Jet regaining possession of his board quite aggressively, and Mighty and I couldn't help but snicker.

"Laugh all you want," Jet said pointing his trademark rigid finger at us. "The next time you'll see us, we'll be on billboards all across the country and on TV. In a few years you won't be able to go anywhere without hearing the name 'Babylon Trio' coming out of someone's mouth."

"Babylon Trio?" I said.

"Duh! It comes from the name of our ancient ancestor nation, the Babylonians. Seriously, what are they teaching you in that snooty private school," Wave said rolling her eyes.

"Not to steal your thunder but the Babylonians aren't ancient," said Mighty. "They were never a nation to begin with. Just a bunch of nomads and gypsies that are still wandering around the world 'til this very day."

"HEY! We find the term 'gypsy' to be **very** offensive so watch yourself armadillo!" Wave said with her face inches from Mighty's.

He backed off and the pretentious teen went back to her lofty pose.

"Anyway," said Jet. "Keep an ear open over the next few years. You never know when the Babylon Wave will happen. And when it does, feel free to brag about how you and I went to school together."

"Don't get your hopes up over that," I said. "But I will wish you good luck. You're gonna need it if you guys are aiming for the World Grand Prix. That and a ton of money too. Those athletes and tech-heads didn't make it all the way there on talent alone."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me." Jet waved off my statement looking as if he didn't want to think about the hardships ahead. "We'll find our own way to the top and that's all that matters."

Suddenly, he tossed his green board out before him and that leaf blower sound started up again. Turns out it came from what appeared to be glowing fans underneath the board allowing the contraption to hover in place. Jet hopped onto it, sliding his feet into the buckles, and took off with a burst of wind coming from the underside of the board. The bird zoomed around us in a wide circle, grinning all the while, and quickly slipped his back foot out of the buckle and stamped down on the back of the board. Another gale of wind exploded from underneath the board launching Jet and his air gear into the air where he spun about like a pro snowboarder. His landing was just as spectacular as the launch landing at full speed, making a hairpin turn (his body almost parallel to the ground), and finally coming to a windy stop before us. Storm cheered on his younger friend while Wave smirked, probably admiring her creation.

"Impressed? Jealous? Go on, be honest," Jet said after getting off the board and shutting it down.

Silent was about as honest as I could get. I really was at a loss for words. It was kinda…cool to see him do that. He must've been practicing for weeks on in with prototype boards to get that good. Although, it still reeked of Jet's arrogance to show off like that. When I realized my silence went on for longer than necessary, Mighty stepped into fill it.

"Impressive," he said with a brief applause. "Certainly explains the long absence. But it'll be a long wait. You're too young to enter, right Jet? And even if you were of age, it's too late for you three to qualify for next year's competition. Sure you can hold out for four years?"

"It's better that way as far as I'm concerned," said Jet. "A longer wait just means more time to get better at what I do best!"

Irritate everyone within a twenty-foot radius?

"And then you'll be recognized worldwide? Even more so than Sonic? That's a pretty lofty goal."

I elbowed Mighty in the arm for the comment. I wasn't sure how much he knew about Sonic and Jet's rivalry but the hedgehog was the last thing that needed to be mentioned. Jet's face had turned sour the moment he heard the hedgehog's name and Wave moved in and snatched away the board from his grasp. Storm quietly cowered behind his.

"That hedgehog…," the bird said seething with hate. "I'll **permanently** erase him from history! There won't be **damn** trace of him left in this world! Going around and playing the hero…"

That last bit felt a little…resentful? They've had heated arguments and dumb competitions that I could recall pretty easily. But I couldn't think of a single thing Sonic had done to scar Jet badly. Maybe it's not what I think it is. Better be sure about it.

"Do you really hate Sonic that much?" I said raising an eyebrow. "I get the silly rivalry you guys had but why the disdain? He's done a lot of good things and helped plenty of people since he left town."

"Big deal! He only does that stuff because of how freakishly fast he is!" Jet said out and crossed his arms. "Running around and showing off how _'special'_ he is and acting like some saint. Regular guys like me with real talent have to _work_ our asses off just to reach our potential while he was _born_ perfect and primed to go! If he thinks he's the only one that can make a difference, then that ego idiot needs to check his rearview mirror 'cause I'll be passing him up soon!"

Oh, I see now. Jet's reason for hating Sonic was valid from a certain point of view. Not everyone is born with a great talent or skill, so it makes sense that people would get jealous if they were constantly around someone who showed off a lot. The intensity of Jet's hate is a bit much but that kind of jealousy might be hereditary for him. Once he finally cooled off, Wave handed him his Air Gear back and spoke up.

"We need to get going. We're wasting time standing here explaining everything to you kids. Jet, Storm let's move."

Wave tossed her Air Gear out into the air with the boys following her lead. All three birds hopped onto their respective gears and Jet was the first to take off with Wave and Storm close behind. They sped off down the street heading in the direction of my home and that was it. The self-named "Babylon Trio" were gone. Mighty took one glance at his cell phone and saw that we were going to be late to school so we took our leave as well running as fast as we could.

* * *

For the rest of the morning, I couldn't stop thinking about Jet's feelings toward Sonic. That he hated what Sonic was doing. Never mind how charitable or sacrificing it was, the fact that he used his super speed to achieve those things and gained so much popularity for it irritated Jet to the very bone. I felt like I was missing something here. While I couldn't relate to the hawk (fire powers and whatnot), I was finding it hard to reach the conclusion of "Hate the most beloved hero in all of Mobius because of his natural talent." Most kids around here seem to take inspiration from that and want to do something great because they see someone their age become a hero. I better ask Mighty for some insight into Jet. I'm sure he knows what that one thing is that I can't figure out.

* * *

It was after school when I finally caught up with Mighty. He was speaking with Tiara out in front of the school while writing something down on a notepad. The second I caught his attention he fumbled with the notepad and stuffed it into his backpack quickly as if to hide something

"You know," he said looking back at Tiara. "We can talk more about this tomorrow."

"Oh. Sure. See you later."

She left and Mighty could see that I was ready to question him on his peculiar behavior.

"I was just discussing some…student council things with Tiara," he said looking unsure at the pause in his statement.

"You're not on the high school student council. School just started," I said.

"It was for Tiara. She needed some favors done for her."

"Tiara isn't on the student council either. You know, if you're gonna lie, you should probably take some lessons from the detention kids." I couldn't help but give a smug smile at his feeble attempts to throw me off.

"I think I'll take you up on that advice," Mighty said with his cheeks flushing red. "I was just asking Tiara for some advice on personal things."

"In that case, I won't pry."

"Thanks. So, shall we?" Mighty gestured out towards the sidewalk.

A little ways from the school I went ahead and asked about Jet. Specifically his past and if he came to Emerald Town from elsewhere.

"Him? You're still caught up on this morning?" said Mighty.

"Pretty much." I started. "What he said this morning, or better yet, how angry he was when he said it. I understand the usual jealousy over famous people but Jet seemed to take it more personally. Almost as if Sonic was hurting him."

"You're right about Jet feeling hurt but it might be a result of his upbringing."

"His upbringing?"

"Yeah. Jet and his friends were adopted, at least that's what I heard. No one knows where they came from before that but Wave's behavior makes me think they came from a wandering Babylon tribe."

"Something bad must've happened for them to wind up being adopted."

"Perhaps. Even in this day and age it's still a pretty harsh world out there to live a wandering lifestyle. Even more so with that Robotnik guy running around but as far as I know they kept a tight lip on their past so who knows what they lived through before coming here."

I immediately thought of Shadow and how guarded he is about his complex past. Maybe Jet's the same way. He and his friends lived through something traumatic and are just trying to move as far from it as possible.

"So you're thinking they lived a rough life as nomads and grew up believing that hard work is the key to success?" I suggested.

"I think it comes with the lifestyle," said Mighty. "It may sound all laid back, wandering wherever you want. But the books I read describe it as a dangerous life since the tribes consist of a dozen families. The health and safety of everyone has to be considered and when you're living off the land in varying environments, it's key to be resourceful and persistent."

"Wasting is the equivalent of asking for death."

"That's one way of putting it. But, yeah, if they did come from a nomadic tribe it's easy to see why Sonic would piss off Jet. Then again, since he's venting his frustration in a creative way I don't see any problem with it. Let him say what he wants about Sonic so long as he walks the walk."

Somehow, those last few words summed up my thoughts on Jet perfectly and a warm, giddy feeling grew within me when I thought of how well Mighty thoughts matched up to my own. In fact, that's been happening more often these days. Is he rubbing off on me or is it the other way around?

When we reached the entrance to my apartment complex, Mighty parted and walked off into the grove of trees that lead to his neighborhood. Not even a minute later, I heard him shouting at someone and dashed into the foliage. At the source of the commotion was someone I wasn't too surprised to see. Shadow was holding my friend against the ground while twisting an arm back as leverage so the armadillo wouldn't try to escape. The hedgehog looked up and gave no reaction to my presence.

"So you finally caved in," I said.

"Just measuring up my competition," Shadow responded. "So far, I'm not impressed."

Mighty lifted his head high enough out of the dirt to speak.

"You know him Blaze?" he said.

"I do but it wasn't by choice." Even though the summer temperatures still lingered, I felt a chill run through me so I rubbed my arms. "A lot of things happened around me and now he never stops bothering me."

"Such modesty." Shadow smiled though it was apparent he was teasing me. "In any case, I'm done here since Mr. Nice Guy didn't put up much resistance."

He released Mighty who was quick to roll away and onto his feet in no time. My friend soothed away the pain in his arm and joined me my side.

"If you're looking for a fight, you're asking the wrong guy," said Mighty. "I know about your reputation Shadow and that's about it. As far as I know, you don't have a reason to pick a fight with me since I've never done anything to you."

"True. As far as you know, there's no friction between us." Shadow unfolded a paper he was holding in the hand he kept hidden from our view. "And to think I was willingly going to embarrass myself with this note. Hmph. Useless now."

He suddenly crumpled up the note and tossed it in my direction. Mighty's hand reached out and caught it right before me just as Shadow teleported away in a blue light. He open the paper ball and scanned over it. A few seconds later his fingers gripped the edges furiously and a troubled expression washed over his face. I snatched the note from him, although he resisted lightly at first before releasing it, and read what it said.

_For the first time, I genuinely feel remorseful for the things I've done. Even though it was for your sake, I can see why I need to change. Will you reconsider your thoughts of me?_

…What the hell? This is a deliberate setup right? Shadow could've tossed this paper anywhere else but he threw it at me specifically. He's just trying to get at Mighty, that's all. There's no truth to this note whatsoever. Just more mind games from Shadow.

"Don't read into this too much," I said to Mighty. "He's just trying to get under your skin."

When I looked over at my friend, I saw that he had tensed up a little but exhaled releasing whatever shocking thoughts lingering in his mind.

"Yeah…you're right," he said rubbing his face. "It doesn't make any sense why he'd be back after so long. And bugging you of all people."

"Yeah, I know." I figured now was a good time to go home so I turned on my heel and tossed the paper aside. "Be careful getting back to your place. I'll see you tomorrow."

Just when everything appeared to be in the clear, Mighty said something that stopped me after taking a few steps.

"What was it that he did for you?" I heard him say.

Crap. I guess the temptation was too much for him to ignore. I stopped unsure of how to answer but turned anyway and saw him staring at me seriously. Mighty's a rational guy, so even if I told the truth he'd find a way to overlook it and not give too much weight to it. So what if Shadow saved me from a kid who traumatized me a few years ago, my dislike of Shadow was obvious a few seconds ago. …Yet, despite all of this confidence in the truth and in my friend, I still felt the need to lie for some reason.

"I said not to read into it too much," I answered. "He likes to play mind games with people. Why he picked you is beyond me."

For some reason he sighed as if he was disappointed by my response. I want to think that he was a little more resilient but it looks like Shadow's already broke through Mighty's emotional defense. Hopefully it'll be as easy to mend as Silver's.

"If you really think that's all it is then fine," he said as he turned to leave.

"What's with the attitude? I gave you an honest answer and you think I'm lying?" I could read his body language loud and clear.

"The underlying amicable nature of your conversation with him was a dead give away. You may have said standoffish things to him but you never once showed any signs of fear or unease. It was almost as if you were used to him showing up suddenly."

No use in keeping up the façade.

"It doesn't matter at this point," I said. "What he did wasn't much help. Just caused a lot of trouble."

"Did it have something to do with the murdered boy?"

After the bomb incident and Lucas's murder over a year ago, plenty of rumors went around speculating that Shadow may have done it as revenge against the kid. And since Mighty knows that I used to live on the other side of town, it's understandable for him to guess at some connection between the murder, Shadow, and myself. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with an adequate answer to his question. Time to shut this thing down.

"So what if he was involved, that was over a year ago and even though I kept telling him to leave me alone…he won't." I was flustered at the thought of Shadow's persistence to stay with me. "Sorry for not making it more obvious but I really can't stand him anymore and you're close to putting yourself in the same position. I'm going home."

I got out of there fast to ensure that Mighty couldn't continue the conversation. He hasn't irritated me this much since we first met. Just what the hell is Shadow up to now?


	34. Miles: Operation: Shadow Watch

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Miles: Operation: Shadow Watch**

_September  
_"Commander, I have everything prepared for you," I heard Rouge say from the other side of my bedroom door.

"And the field agents?" I said.

"They've taken up their posts over here and in the village area of town. I can't believe he's still at it coming back to this place."

I buttoned up my school shirt and adjusted the tie. Perhaps the only saving grace of the outfit was that pants weren't mandatory for boys. Gives my tails some breathing room but I'll still have to put up with stares from the other students.

"He has every reason to be here," I said putting on my black uniform shoes. "He wants to go back to ARK for some reason and thus needs to eliminate the one threat that can actually stop him. I'll give him credit for persistence but the game is over now that I'm here."

The moment I stepped outside my bedroom, Rouge was off to the side holding my backpack and lunch bag. I slipped the backpack on and we walked down the hall past two bedrooms that had been converted into a Communications Room and my personal office respectively. At the bottom of the stairs were four members of my ten-man team lined up to see me off. Two of the agents, of the fox species obviously, were dressed in appropriate parental attire. They saluted me and I returned the gesture as I reached the bottom step. One of the communications officer, a leopard, opened up a brief case revealing a set of glasses.

"It's been fully tested and is ready to go sir," he said. "It's a little more durable than your standard pair of glasses so having them stepped on won't pose a problem."

The moment I put the hi-tech glasses on, I felt a sudden electric pinch at my temples.

"That's just the device connecting with your microchip," the leopard continued. "When you want to take a picture just hold the frame with your index finger and thumb and blink once to snap a photo. The image will be automatically sent back here to Communications and agent Sapphire will receive a message informing her of the delivery."

I tested out the device focusing on Rouge (codename Sapphire). A transparent HUD appeared in the lens the moment my left index finger and thumb grasped the frame. Blinked once and an "image sent" message displayed in the lower right area of the lens. A chime went off and Rouge showed me her PDA with the aforementioned delivery message.

"And what about multiple images?" Rouge said. "I don't want to get several of these back to back if the Commander were to blink twice accidentally."

"There's a short delay in the delivery system before the image is sent. So if he were to take multiple pictures then they would all be sent as one file ten seconds after he deactivates the camera mode."

"You guys can discuss the technology on your own time," I said wanting to get to school and start the operation already. "Clover, Aurora. Let's go."

My parents, agents Clover and Aurora (codenames obviously), left the house with me and we climbed into the black sedan in the driveway and left for St. Ives.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the school and were greeted by the principal at the front entrance.

"You must be the Canis family. And you, young man, must be Miles," said the enthusiastic female swan as she reached out to me for a handshake and I accepted. "We're so excited to have such a young prodigy attend out institution. Mr. and Mrs. Canis, this way please."

On the inside, I scanned the entrance area adorned with various awards showcasing the school's accomplishments. Championship trophies for all three of their sports teams, pictures of past students who have gone on to prestigious universities, and a plethora of academic awards given to the school for mathematics, science, and the arts. Hmm…either Blaze's academic prowess is much higher than we assumed or the school has lowered its entry standards. While the principal kept my "parents" busy with idle chat, I whipped out my phone and sent a quick reminder to Rouge of today's tasks. She can be a little "forgetful" of her duties from time to time. I also took a few pictures of the adornments around the school entrance for informational purposes. Not long after I was done, the principal approached me again.

"Ready to see your new classmates Miles?" she said.

"I-I guess so." I concluded that a timid personality would help me blend in easily in this school and help keep tabs on Blaze.

The adults and I departed for the right side of the school where the junior high and high school sections were.

The principal led us to my homeroom, the classroom of one of the middle school science teachers. An unusual silence flowed out of the classroom as the swan opened the door after two polite knocks. Perhaps the teacher was waiting for my arrival. She addressed the class informing them of the new transfer student and beckoned me to enter. The shy façade went back up and I timidly stepped through the threshold to the sounds of murmurs and gasps.

"Students, I'd like to introduce you to Miles Canis who came to us all the way from the prestigious Mobotropolis Academy."

She guided me to stand in front of her and I took a quick glance up at the class. Blaze sat in the middle with an empty desk two seats forward and a row over from her.

"As you can see he's a little shy so don't be a stranger and show him that heartwarming St. Ives hospitality. Miles, would you like to say something?"

An unsure glance up at the principal followed by a strong gulp to seal the innocent kid persona.

"H-hi," I said quietly. "Nice to meet you."

A better examination of my classmates revealed looks of curiosity all around with some whispering to others. Possibly questions about my age and appearance they'd bombard me with later on or just petty gossip. With that short introduction over, the rhino science teacher directed me to my homeroom seat in the aforementioned empty desk chair near Blaze. I waved to my parents standing at the classroom door and they left along with the principal. Next is figuring out Blaze's daily schedule and routine. The only downside being that I'll have to contend with the initial wave of curiosity I'll be getting over the next few days.

The bell rang signaling the end of third period and the halls filled quickly with students hurrying to their next class, catching up with friends, or stopping by their lockers. Just as I rounded a corner, I spotted Blaze talking to a red, black, and yellow armadillo. A few recon pictures were taken while I examined the cat's belongings for a safe place to plant the listening device I had on hand. A small eraser similar to one I saw on her desk in homeroom so no suspicions will be raised were she to find it among her items. I also made quick visual notes of the duo's body language. The armadillo, a few centimeters taller than Blaze, stood a foot away from the girl suggesting a close friendship. His attentive nature during the conversation contrasted her nonchalant body language as she opened up her locker, occasionally looking back to speak to the boy. This could be a possible one-sided romance from the boy as his eyes never left her for even a moment. At one point of the conversation Blaze began to exchange books between her locker and backpack. There's my chance!

I stepped around the corner going into a jog and deliberately collided with the girl (the armadillo was looking away at just the right moment) sending us to the floor and her belongings scattering everywhere. Luckily she was as studious as she appeared to be and had a few extra erasers in her pencil case; all unused. I was careful to remain in character the entire time, gathering her belongings hastily and doing my best to appear embarrassed. The listening device went right into her pencil case along with everything else and I handed it back to Blaze.

"Thanks," she said. "Are you okay? You look a little nervous."

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. I just don't want to be late for history that's all," I said.

"History?" the armadillo spoke up. He had also knelt down to help with the clean up. "Your teacher should be Mr. Boris right? Ha! Relax, that guy is pretty laid back. I doubt he'll even notice you slipping in a few seconds late."

"I-I see. Thanks." I laughed nervously as we all stood.

"It's Miles, right?" Blaze said while I dusted my shirt off.

"Yeah."

"I'm Blaze and this is Mighty. Feel free to come to us if you need any help." She and the armadillo smiled together.

I nodded grasping the straps of my backpack and hurried off down the hall. Mighty called out to me telling me to be careful. I don't foresee the boy being a threat to the operation but as a precaution I sent a text to Communications ordering them to do a full background check on Mighty. We can't risk him being connected to someone who might compromise our mission.

* * *

At the end of the school day as I stepped out of the building I spotted Blaze and Mighty speaking with a very attractive brown manx. I got in one last picture and took my leave with haste. The identity of the manx could wait until tomorrow. I left the premises and spotted Agent Aurora waiting outside of the black sedan on the side of the road along with several other parents waiting for their children. I boarded the vehicle in silence and we left immediately.

"Sir," Aurora began shortly after pulling away from the school. "The background check on the boy named Mighty is still incomplete but initial findings don't indicate any threats to our operation."

"His family?" I inquired while looking at some of the messages I received on my phone from Rouge.

"No military ties to either G.U.N. or the Mobian Armed Forces. No ties to any of the radical militia groups either. Most are just labor workers."

"Good," I said and sent out a text informing all my agents to have a report of their findings ready by the end of the week for our first meeting.

* * *

The week flew by faster than expected. Thankfully, the amount of gawking and curiosity I didn't want to deal with was kept to a minimum allowing me more opportunities to nail down Blaze's daily routine so I could plan out opportunities to talk with her. Later that day, it was Agent Clover who came to pick me up. A short car ride later and I stepped through the threshold of our base of operations to see the whole house busy with activity from the few agents there. Rouge exited out of the kitchen with a thick manila folder in one arm.

"How was your first week of school?" she asked as we ascended the stairs, Agent Clover walking off elsewhere to tend to his tasks.

"Nothing unexpected or worth discussing," I said. "The meeting starts at 2130 hours sharp. Make sure the field agents are discreet in their arrival."

"Of course Commander."

Rouge went into the Communications Room while I entered into my office and closed the door behind me. My next few hours will be spent getting this incessant homework out of the way and making a few calls to HQ on the status of the operation.

When it came time for the meeting that evening I descended down the stairs and entered into the dining room to see my ten agents gathered around the dining room table waiting for me silently. I took my seat at the head of the table closest to the wall and the meeting commenced with Rouge reviewing the week's agendas for each team. Once the formalities were done with, the interesting part (and by interesting I mean the only part I was concerned with) finally began with the three downtown field agents reporting their findings. No sightings of either Shadow or Espio, no chaos energy readings either. Clover and Aurora, the agents in charge of covering the suburban area of town, did some visual investigations of the remains of the burned down echidna home a few neighborhoods over. Chaos energy still lingers but not enough to suggest any recent activity from Shadow. They did manage to figure out where Blaze and Mighty live and gave a brief summary of Tiara, the manx I spotted earlier in the week. The short of it, she's no threat to us either. Last was the report from the village field agents which consisted of Rouge and two others. I was looking forward to their report the most as they would provide critical information on not just Silver and his social circle but also how effective the undercover agents, Orion and TigerRose, have been in their duties. There was a quick rundown of Silver's circle of friends; two males and a female he's currently having romantic relations with. And Orion and TigerRose appeared to be doing things by the book and following orders…at least until Rouge presented her findings.

"I kept tabs on Silver by tailing him from a distance and everything seemed fine until two days ago when I followed him to the edge of the forest." She placed in front of me an enlarged photograph of the one thing I dreaded.

"It was at this location that I witnessed the boy use his powers quite competently. He appeared to be training on his own without the supervision of Orion or TigerRose. I can't say for sure if he already knows about Shadow's presence in town since my chaos energy reader wasn't picking anything up. But this, alone, is serious enough as is."

"Agreed," I said staring hard at the full color image of Silver levitating a few rocks. "Keep a close eye on him but _stay the hell away from his house_. Orders from HQ were to actively pursue and stop Shadow and _only_ observe Silver and the undercover agents."

"Of course Commander." Rouge said.

"If that's all anyone has to present, then this meeting is adjourned. Return to your posts and continue reconnaissance work for any signs of our targets. If an emergency comes up, follow the appropriate protocols. Dismissed!"

The team quickly left the dining room, all except Rouge, and the house fell silent as half of them left to return to their posts across town and the others to their duties around the house. Rouge's hovering presence was hard to overlook as I stayed behind to look through the information files on Mighty and Tiara.

"Is there a problem, agent?" I addressed her.

"Regarding your private investigation on Felicity and her family…" said Rouge.

"It was assigned to me to handle on my own."

"I know. I just thought it would be useful to warn you that you should be cautious around Blaze."

"What for?" I glanced up at her.

"There's a possibility that Shadow might be attempting to use her to get to Silver."

The file in my hand dropped to the table as I stared up at my colleague with considerable unease.

"I didn't bring it up in my briefing because I don't have concrete evidence to prove that theory."

At first, I couldn't come up with an immediate response. So I began to gather up the files and papers before me while Rouge watched.

"My office. Now," I eventually said and Rouge left heading upstairs.

Less than a minute later I entered into my office closing the door behind me. The room was dimly lit by two lamps; a floor lamp by the door and my desk lamp. Rouge was already sitting before my desk in a wooden chair, legs crossed and a finger tapping on the armrest of the chair. I tossed the paperwork in hand onto my partially bare desk and sat in the plush black chair opposite the bat. I took note of a few new email messages on the laptop screen before closing it.

"So how did you come up with this theory of yours?" I said sitting back with my hands folded in my lap.

"Back when Sonic and I were working here as an 'invisible shield' of sorts for Silver, we had a run-in with Shadow."

I took a second to recall the write-up Rouge made of her time here in Emerald Town. There were only two mentions of crossing paths with Shadow. One being on Halloween night…

"I assume you're referring to Halloween night as the only other encounter you wrote about happened just before you were removed and demoted," I said.

"Y-yes. That's right." Shame washed over her face briefly, perhaps recalling whatever scolding she received in Mobotopolis. "I wrote that we were in the presence of two civilians…well one of them was Blaze. However, at the time, I had no idea she was the daughter of Felicity."

"You didn't even know who Felicity was until you were assigned to work with me three months ago."

Rouge rolled her eyes again at my seamless efforts of bringing to light her shortcomings.

"In any case, I never made a connection between Blaze and Silver until I read up on Felicity's personal file when I join this team."

"She and Silver attended the same elementary school," I said. "There's no proof that Orion and Felicity knew each other well but given that they attended the same training facility almost twenty years ago…it's dangerous to just brush that information off as coincidence. But that's the basis for your theory? The fact that they attended the same school at one point?"

"No. It was a conversation I had with Blaze some few weeks after the Halloween encounter. She was curious about Shadow and asked me for some advice about him. I just told her to keep her distance as everyone else did back then. It never occurred to me that there could've been more to it until three months ago. It also sheds more light on what's happened in this town since my departure."

The hostage situation involving the echidna children and their disappearance a year later. I can't see how Shadow would be connected to the latter since that family was confirmed by Albion officials to be the hidden Guardian family so, naturally, chaos energy would be lingering in the vicinity of the home's remains. But the first incident…I can't help but get a feeling that there's chunks of information missing from the official report. That is to say, there were more people involved than the ones reported by police and the undercover agents. Now I get why Rouge held back on this theory of hers.

"Are you suggesting that Shadow may have been after Silver during the hostage situation?"

"It's possible. Even though he left town to attack Prison Island with Dr. Robotnik, he had plenty of time beforehand to extract whatever info he needed off of Blaze. I knew I should've kept a closer eye on her."

"It's no use beating yourself up over a lack of information. What's important is that we use this theory of yours to tackle three problems at once."

"Three?"

"Yes, three." I stood and walked around the desk to open the office door for Rouge. "Take down Shadow as ordered, thoroughly investigate agents Orion and TigerRose, and uncover the truth behind Shadow's hostage attempt and what happened on that day."

"And your investigation of Felicity and her family?"

"Just leave that to me. Like I said, it's my personal assignment. Now, considering the special ability that runs in that family and what it is Shadow is really after, it's not too far fetched to assume that Blaze may be an unwilling pawn in whatever ultimate plan that Shadow has in store. That is, if he plans on using her at all."

Rouge stood and started to leave but stopped at the doorway.

"Sounds like you're starting to put together a plan to catch Shadow."

"Not quite. In good time it'll come together and we can execute it before he does something else."

She nodded, left, and I closed the door and headed back to my desk. It was a long week but a promising start to our mission. The only downside being the massive amount of work that waited for me and my team. I suppose I better take it one step at a time and start by answering all the new email messages in my inbox.


	35. Silver: The End of Something

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Silver: The End of…Something**

_October  
_For about a month now I've been able to keep myself occupied during the weekends by training myself on how to control my telekinesis. But eventually I realized that I needed someone on the ground (literally) to be my lookout. The obvious answer was Bean as he's the only other person (aside from my parents) who knew about my powers. Again, it was a nice day but that didn't necessarily translate into an easy training session. Lifting items was a cinch at this point so, naturally, it was time to move on to the next step: self levitation. Easier said than done would sum up my efforts after an hour out here at the edge of the forest. For, what seemed like, the hundredth time I jumped up into the air and fell clumsily to the ground, usually landing face down. I'd manage to slow the fall a bit but lose grip of my concentration midway. Maybe I'm too heavy at this point and I just need to wait for my powers to get stronger. But I understand now that they're based on my feelings so I'm probably not angry enough. I figured I'd have plenty of anger considering how things have been going between me and Honey lately. Or maybe that's just frustration…

"That last attempt was pretty good," said Bean obviously being sarcastic as I got up from the ground.

"Ha. This really shouldn't be all that hard," I said while brushing grass off me.

"Maybe you need some motivation."

"I _need_ to be mad at something."

"You've been failing for an hour. That's not enough to get you angry?"

I jumped up and even flapped my arms frantically as if that would help. But of course it didn't and I was back on my face. Bean chuckled a bit.

"I think it's your technique," he said. "Right now it's generating more laughs than sympathy from me."

"How enlightening." I stood up and faced Bean. "This is serious for me. If I can't get a handle on this then what's the point of even having these powers?"

"I dunno. Play pranks at school?"

The only proper response to that was an exasperated eye-roll. I suppose it was a bit too much to ask for Bean to do more than just be a look out. He hasn't gotten lazier since we've became friends. He's just drawn clear lines between what he will and won't do. I paced in a circle trying to think of things that would get me angry enough so I could lift myself into the air but nothing came to mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Bean unzipping his jacket and stretch his arms overhead. When I glanced over I noticed that he didn't have his usual red bandana around his neck. A pink cloth covered in bright yellow flowers hugged his neck… That's Honey's headscarf! Immediately I floated over to Bean and hovered there glaring at the silk fabric.

"Where'd you get that?" I said.

"Bingo! Mission accomplished," Bean said pointing at me with two fingers and throwing in a wink.

I was lost until I looked down and noticed my shadow a few feet below me and the familiar green aura surrounding my body. YES! I floated back and forth celebrating my small victory over what seemed like a monumental hill…and then I lost it all in the same moment and came crashing down. Despite eating a mouthful of dirt, I got up happier than ever and rushed over to Bean for a hi-five…and then I saw Honey's headscarf.

"That," I said pointing to the silk fabric as Bean stood. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this little thing?" Bean took it off and handed it to me. "Honey's sister. I got tired of seeing your failed levitation bit over and over so I figured some proper motivation would get you started."

"You…wore that intentionally?" I said.

"Yep. What? You actually thought I took Honey away from you? HA! That's a good one."

Bean may have found it amusing enough to laugh heartily at the thought but as for me…I've been having my doubts lately about my relationship. Still, I laughed a little so he wouldn't get suspicious.

"Speaking of Honey, how are things between you lovebirds?" Bean said as he pulled out his usual red bandana from the pocket of his jacket and wrapped it around his neck.

"She's been busy lately. So I haven't seen her for a few weeks." I kicked some dirt around having lost my momentum for levitation.

I really do wish I could at least get a chance to say something to her. All I've been able to do is wave at her in the hallways at school. The last we spoke was when…we had that argument just before the start of school.

"Bummer." Bean stood up and walked over to where I stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Dude, it's not my place to pry into the extra personal affairs of others but…maybe you and Honey should break up. I mean well when I say it because Bark and I have kinda noticed that the two of you are hardly meshing."

Not sure what "meshing" meant and I almost blurted out a laugh at his denial of prying "into the extra personal affairs of others." Almost. It's perfectly understandable why Bean would make that suggestion. Even I've wondered if Honey has thought of breaking up as well. But I don't want to give up on us. Not just yet. I know we can work this out, we just have to get through this rough patch and things will get better. I gave Bean my response and, not surprisingly, he shook his head as if he was ashamed in me.

"Hopeless to a fault," he said. "I hope you know what you're doing."

I don't but I'm sure I can figure out what to fix between us.

* * *

After a few more semi-successful attempts at levitating, Bean and I left to grab some lunch at the market. But on the way there we ran into Honey and her friends near the fountain garden. Strange…she said she would be busy today with dance practice. As soon as the girls spotted us, Honey's guilt showed almost immediately when she looked at me. I didn't want to make a scene in front of her friends but we obviously had to talk.

"Ladies," Bean addressed them as we got closer. "So nice to see you out and about. It's been ages."

"Bean, you talked to us at school yesterday," said Stacey, Honey's squirrel friend.

"Time is a complex mystery."

Honey's friends rolled their eyes and I saw it was the perfect time to make clear my intentions.

"Do you guys mind giving us some space?" I said to everyone except Honey.

Being the self-inflating guy he is, Bean gladly complied and led Honey's friends away while striking up a conversation about buying them an "awesome lunch." With them gone Honey and I walked over to a bench in front of the fountain and took a seat. Even though I faced her, she didn't want to look at me. It kinda hurt.

"You said you'd be busy today with practice," I started.

"I know," said Honey.

…And that was it. She didn't elaborate or anything.

"So what happened?"

"Practice was cancelled. It's not a big deal."

I didn't like it. Nor did I believe it. She was hiding something from me…I was sure of it. I've noticed that she hasn't been herself lately. Like whenever she was around me, she just didn't seem too interesting in what I had to say or doing anything with me. My stomach sank a little.

"Could you stop lying to me and just be honest?" I said. "What's your problem with me?"

At last, she looked at me and the sadness in her eyes gave my heart and awful twinge. That's not good.

"I…I just didn't want to hang out with you, that's all," she said.

I had a vague understanding of why. Our argument last month. But I had to be sure. Maybe something came up in her personal life that she didn't want to mention to me.

"Oh. Is there a problem at home?"

"No. I just wanted to be with my friends. I thought that you'd be fine with that."

"I am but…"

"But what?" she asked.

"It's just how distant you've been lately. I almost feel that you choosing your friends over me was intentional."

"…Maybe it was."

"Oh…" I can't let it get to me. Just breathe in and calmly move forward. "I'm sorry for…whatever I did."

She sighed heavily and stood up. "Silver, saying sorry now won't change anything at this point. In fact, I'm sure nothing would've helped judging from what you said last month."

I knew it! _Our damn argument last month!_ Argh! Why didn't I do something sooner?

"But we can fix this," I said standing up as well. "I'll do whatever I can but you have to meet me halfway."

"No! I'm not lowering my standards just so we can be 'okay' with each other."

"Then what am I suppose to do to make you happy? You're obviously upset or bored every time we're together."

"Oh is that so? Then I guess the answer shouldn't be that hard to figure out!"

I couldn't get another word in for she stormed off heading back towards her neighborhood. Seriously…I can't believe that happened. On second thought…I can. And the sad part is that it makes complete sense to me; the argument and all the reasons why it happened. I just didn't want to accept it that's all. Looking back on these past few months, I hardly did anything to actually prevent this from happening. Most of the signs were there, maybe even a few more that went way over my head, and even Bean and Bark started to notice though Bark, being respectful as always, was less vocal about it. So what up with me dragging my feet?

…Oh, who the hell am I kidding. I'm all worked up over Blaze again. Trouble happens on the other side of town and I can barely get her off my mind. At that moment, I realized that I didn't want to go home yet and sat back down on the bench in front of the fountain. Right now, my gut seems to be smarter than me. From the get go, it always knew that Honey was never the "one" and I just ignored it assuming that, at some point, it'd sync up with my heart and like her as well. Hasn't changed one bit. My gut was uneasy about Honey then and still is now. Only it's plain as day at this point.

I didn't notice the presence of a stranger approaching until their shadow blocked the sunlight from me. When I looked up all I saw was the well defined silhouette of a very um…busty female bat. She looked like a business woman dressed in a pinstripe white on gray dress suit that hugged every curve on her body. She smiled and sat next to me placing her oversized, brown handbag on the ground.

"Didn't mean to eavesdrop kid," the lady said as she removed her sunglasses. "but I'm guessing things aren't going so well for you and your little friend."

"Um…no ma'am." I choked not really sure what to say…and also at how beautiful this lady was.

She laughed and I ended up darting my eyes away feeling flushed the second I noticed her chest bouncing with every laugh.

"You don't have to be so formal with me kid," she said patting me gently on the shoulder…no need to explain why my muscles tensed up at that moment.

She probably started to notice how nervous I was getting. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her shake her head almost sympathetically before she put her sunglasses on.

"I just wanted to offer you some advice on us girls," the bat said as she reached down to pick up her handbag. "We're very finicky, tough to satisfy to be honest. But," she suddenly pulled a cellphone from her handbag and looked it over. "we're quite fragile. So be sure to handle us with care. Especially us 'strong' ones."

I managed to muster up enough bravery to glance at the bat as she stood and caught her winking at me from behind her shades. …And then I couldn't take my eyes off of her as she walked off towards the market. A good self-slap to the face knocked me back to reality and I recalled the lady's words. Girls are fragile, even the stronger ones. Well, since it seems like my gut has matured a little (compared to two years ago at least) maybe it's time I started listening to it again and do what I feel is right.

…Except for going after that attractive lady and stalking her around town. Wow. Who was that?


	36. Mighty: Second Encounter

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Mighty: Second Encounter**

_November  
_Today's the big day. It's Blaze's birthday and I've invited her out to the park this afternoon. I know she'll come. She doesn't do much lately with Knuckles and Tikal gone and I know she's not the type to skip out on seeing a good friend of hers. …A good friend. Hopefully that'll change today. All of that aside, I need to head out to the dance studio for my final lesson with Tiara and her friend. Surprisingly, it was pretty easy keeping these lessons a secret from Blaze. I suppose my general busybody nature helped and had Blaze assuming I was off doing afterschool stuff and chores around my neighborhood. Due to my itinerary for the day, the lesson was an early morning session so I was already up just as the sun peeked over the horizon. According to my digital clock on my nightstand it was a few minutes past seven. I swung my jacket on and left in silence through the backdoor in the kitchen with my wallet tucked neatly into the pocket of my jacket. It's a shame the transit bus doesn't stop by my neighborhood at an early time but I would've been waiting until 8AM and I told Tiara I'd be at the studio by 7:30. So I was left with switching back and forth between running and jogging towards the old town district, the studio's location.

I was a few minutes late but it didn't appear to be of any inconvenience. The studio doors were still locked meaning that the girls hadn't arrived yet. Understandable, not everyone is a morning person like myself. The street I was on wasn't completely dead as I saw a few people out already (mostly elderly), so I sat on the front steps and tried to put out the anxiety building up. The wait ended up being shorter than I anticipated. A dark blue car honked its horn as it passed by and I saw Tiara in the backseat with two people in the front. The vehicle pulled into the narrow driveway next to the brick building and parked in the tiny lot between the studio and its neighbor, a hair salon. Tiara and her friend, Melody, a white, female rabbit whose family owned the building, got out along with a tall gray rabbit. I assumed him to be Melody's boyfriend. Despite the chilly weather, the girls were dressed in slim workout clothing and light jackets. Melody's boyfriend wore typical casual clothing.

"You weren't out here long, were you?" Tiara asked as she approached me with a multi-colored tote bag in arm.

"No, just a few minutes," I said. Melody and the gray rabbit walked past us and went into the building. "What's in the bag?"

"A few bottles of water and some towels," said the manx as she pulled out a plastic water bottle. "Mel and I are gonna do our workout routine after your lesson. Care to watch?"

"I'll pass. I have other plans for today."

By then the two of us were already walking into the studio.

"Oh that's right! It's Blaze's birthday," said Tiara with a cheeky smile. "So how big are your romantic plans? Gonna dress up and treat her to a nice meal?"

"Nothing like that. Just…simple." I held open the door for Tiara to the first practice room that Melody and her boyfriend entered a moment ago. "I figured we'd do something that'll be embarrassing for us both."

"I don't know about that." Tiara walked to the corner of the room to a lone table with a stereo on it. "You've been at this for a month so you actually have an advantage over her." She nudged me playfully in the arm.

"Perhaps but not a very big one. I'll probably get nervous in the end and forget everything."

"You won't, Mighty. It's obvious how dedicated you've been." Along with water bottles and towels, Tiara also pulled out a classical music CD. "So why choose dancing specifically? Plenty of guys your age would just settle for a confession letter with stupid little 'yes', 'no', or 'maybe' checkboxes."

"I'm not like most guys."

"And Blaze isn't like most girls. She may storm off when you spring this surprise on her."

"I don't think she will. The things that offend Blaze are pretty specific and usually have something to do with humane behavior towards others and the quality of a person's character. This…is embarrassing but she wouldn't hate me over it. She'd resist but, eventually, she'll give in and at least give it a try."

"You talk like one of those guys in romantic movies that think they can make any girl jump at the snap of their fingers. I shouldn't have to tell you how dangerous that is."

"No, you don't. But as you said, Blaze is different from other girls. I know this first hand because she likes a little pushback from her friends every now and then." Memories of our harmless arguments rushed back to me…along with all the signs of her true feelings. "Plus, I think she's just hiding it. Her honest feelings for me. Like she's afraid to act on them out of shame. I just want her to relax around me and know that it's fine to do or say whatever it is she's ashamed of."

I hadn't noticed it while I was talking but Tiara had her back towards me when I looked upon her again. A few sniffles could be heard as she opened up the CD case.

"Maybe…maybe we should get started," I heard her say quietly. "You have a busy day ahead of you."

As I led her out to the floor by hand, the music started up and I asked if I said anything wrong.

"No, you could never say anything to offend anyone. At least that's what I think," said Tiara as she took my right hand and placed her other hand on my shoulder. "You just reminded me of Knuckles. Smarter than you look and careful with your words."

"Nah, that can't be. He's a genius compared to me. Have you _seen_ my report cards? Ugh! More 'B's than a bee hive and enough 'C's to flood this entire planet."

Tiara giggled at the terrible pun and I felt a little better. Melody and her boyfriend had already begun waltzing to the simple yet complex piano music while Tiara and I started with the same 'box steps' I've been learning for the past month. Even now I still had trouble keeping my eyes up and kept glancing down every now and then to ensure that my feet avoided hers. And again, the kind girl reminded me softly to keep my eyes up.

"Don't fall back on those habits," she said. "Your dancing is almost perfect now."

"You don't have to flatter me Tiara," I said. "We're moving like a couple of stiff corpses."

"Which is an improvement from tripping all over me when you first started."

"I thought you were use to guys falling left and right all around you worshiping the ground you walked on."

Again she giggled and it even got the attention of her friends who must've overheard my joke.

"Stop it! You're gonna mess me up now." She cleared her throat and went straight back to teacher mode. "Focus Mighty. This is your last lesson before your big moment so no goofing off."

"Yes ma'am."

Our stilted waltz continued with Melody and her boyfriend literally dancing circles around us. Not that it bothered me. A new piano waltz had started up though it was quite similar to the last but with a slightly faster tempo. In order to keep up with the music, Tiara suggested we increased our speed and I took the lead in doing so.

"What do you think is going to happen between you and Blaze after today?" the manx asked.

"I'm afraid to think that far ahead right now," I said. "I know I was confident when I spoke about Blaze's feelings but that's only when we're alone. At school, around everyone else, I'm not sure what's going to happen."

"But you're sure that Blaze will be your girlfriend?"

"Absolutely!"

I spun Tiara out at arms length and pulled her back in gently, a new move we started practicing a few weeks back.

"Then what's there to be nervous about?" she said. "You two love each other, respect each other, and know each other well enough that you're comfortable with being apart. …Er, that last bit was just a guess."

"A pretty accurate guess I may say."

"In any case, do what you feel is comfortable around others. I've always got the feeling that you and Blaze thought the same way. So if you initiated something like…holding hands then I'm sure she'd go along without question. And if it was her who initiated it then you'd definitely go with the flow."

Tiara was onto something there. Something that should've been as clear as day to me. I shouldn't be afraid of what happens after this because I'll already know once I see Blaze's reaction to my present.

"In the end," Tiara continued. "It's all about trust. Trust can't develop between you two if you guys know everything that's going to happen before hand. It's determined by your actions to those moments when she needs someone all of the sudden…and when not-so-urgent issues come up. So just do what you feel is right and I'm sure Blaze will grow to love you."

"And here you were a few moments ago complimenting me on how smart I was," I said.

Tiara laughed brushing off the compliment and suddenly stopped our waltz.

"How about a trust lesson?" she suggested.

"Trust lesson? I'm assuming it's not as suspicious as it sounds?" I said.

"Not at all. In fact, I think you'll catch on pretty quick if you use that enthusiasm of yours."

She got the attention of Melody and her boyfriend and asked them to demonstrate a "dip" maneuver. Wait? She's gonna have me do _that_? I'm still counting the steps in my head! The rabbit couple picked up their pace and, without missing a beat, Melody was swooped down low by her beau and brought back up without hesitation. Looked a little like a romantic dance in a spy movie. There's no way I'll pull off a move like that. Getting back to Tiara's lesson…

"What's this got to do with trust?" I said.

"Duh!" she answered. "I'm leaving it up to you to decide when to dip and I'll follow through. You'll be in control since you'll be carrying all the weight…literally."

The manx held out her arms and we reassumed the starting stance while the rabbits continued their dance around us.

"I'll need to practice that a bit…or better yet a lot. I'm pretty sure I'll screw up the first ten tries," I said.

"What did I just tell you? Stop being nervous and do what you feel is right."

"And _that's_ the problem. This doesn't feel right. I might drop you or trip and fall over you."

"Mighty, I've been a cheerleader for about a year now. You've seen me get tossed six feet into the air during football games and I can't count how many times I was dropped during practice by one of the male cheerleaders. I'm used to it. If anything goes wrong, I know how to react and protect myself."

Well there goes my last line of defense. No chance of backing out of embarrassing myself. Tiara took my silence as a go ahead for the lesson and started counting to the music again. We moved, stilted as always, to the slightly upbeat piano waltz and my mind went into overdrive on how to dip Tiara properly.

"Alright, I'll go over the basics of a dip," she said. "Now since you're leading, it's up to you to give me the signal of when you're ready to dip."

I nodded and she continued on.

"You'll want to move your hand up a little to the middle of my back. That way I'll know when you're ready to do the maneuver. Then start leaning in towards me, with most of the force coming from your 'leading hand'," she glanced at my right hand holding onto her left hand. "And then I'll relax and lean back. Keep the "comfort space" between us open and the back hand strong and steady at this point. We don't have to lean over too far like in a tango. About fifteen degrees should be enough."

Great. Now she's throwing geometry into this. I kept my nervous comment to myself. Tiara asked if I was ready to go and I timidly nodded as we continued our box step dance. After two rounds of "1,2,3" in my head, I leaned forward against the girl and stumbled when I heard her squeak a little. Out of fear, my grip on Tiara gave away and she fell onto her side. I was quick to help her up and even the rabbits stopped briefly to look on us.

"It's fine Mel. I got it," she said to her friend as I pulled her up. "Okay. You got ahead of yourself and forgot to signal. No problem, just your nerves." We returned to our starting position. "Remember to keep that back hand strong. It's supporting most of my weight."

Right. Give her the signal. Lean gently with her. Keep a steady hand on her—

"Relax Mighty," I heard Tiara say. "Just pretend that I'm Blaze and do what comes naturally to you."

"Mind if I close my eyes?" I asked. "The two of you aren't exactly twins…"

"Heh. If you feel you're that good, then go ahead."

Tiara started up the step count and the two of us were off. After a few steps, I closed my eyes and imagined that the delicate fingers and soft figure belonged to Blaze. Adorned in a flowing white gown with her hair let down, we twirled on the balcony of an exotic palace before the setting sun. Tiara's shampoo became the sweet scent of Blaze's skin and my grip tightened a little on the defined waist of my love. Everything felt perfect and the music was so appropriate and simple that I didn't want it to end. But it was coming. The end to the waltz music. I could just hear it in the notes of its crescendo. There wasn't a moment to waist. Right on cue with the final notes, I moved my hand up Blaze's back, leaned in, and her legs went limp beneath mine. I took and extra step forward as I guided her towards the ground, almost parallel to it, and kept a strong, reassuring grip on her back while my bended leg provided support for me in the dip. I could see her lips mouth something to me…words I've been itching to hear. And just when I was about to respond aloud, applause filled my ears and I opened up my eyes to Tiara's face. Practically nose to nose in this position.

"Sweet move, Romeo! Maybe you should try out for a dance competition," said Melody.

I was quick to pull Tiara back up and we both cleared our throats in slight embarrassment.

"I…got a little too into it," I said.

"No, no! That was exactly what I was expecting you to do," said Tiara. "And it's what you _will_ do when you and Blaze dance this afternoon. Regardless of what happens, don't lose that passion and confidence! It's the key to getting her to trust you when you go in for the dip."

"And the ladies go wild for a guy brimming with confidence." Melody's boyfriend suddenly spoke up prompting a playful shove from his girl.

I guess it's safe to say I'm ready now...but only if I don't lose this momentum. Just as I headed for the door, Tiara stopped me one last time.

"Here. Take this," she said handing me the waltz CD after it was placed back into its case. "To save yourself some grief over finding the right music. And since it's what you're probably used to at this point."

I thanked her and left to the sounds of an upbeat pop song playing loudly in the studio.

* * *

I was a little shocked to see that it was only 8:30 when I reached the bakery just a few blocks away from the dance studio. All that nervous dancing made it feel like it went on a little longer. No matter. Just more time to practice what I'll say to Blaze…or time that I'll waste depending on how caught up I get in the details. I went into the shop and picked up the smallest strawberry cake they had. It was enough for two but was still ornately decorated with strawberry slices and decorative frosting. I asked the shopkeeper if they could write "Happy Birthday" on it and they did so for no extra charge. With the cake packed away in a nice box and paper bag, I left and headed for home to make the final preparations.

Along the way, I ran into Miles. He caught me by surprise to be exact as he flew in behind me using his two odd tails.

"Does anyone ever call you Tails?" I said when he landed. "You know, for obvious reasons."

"Not really," he said curling his unique features around him and flattening out the fluffed up fur. "What's in the bag?"

"A cake for Blaze. It's her birthday today so I'm just being a nice guy and doing something special for her."

"I'm not sure if cake on someone's birthday is particularly special. I always get cake on my birthday. You sure this is all you're doing?"

Ok, so the kid got me there. We've known each other for a few months now and he's a prodigy in a grade much higher than most kids his age. Can't expect him to miss an obvious omission of truth.

"Alright, so I'm doing more than just the cake," I admitted and he smiled innocently. "I'm…I'm going to…dance…with her."

Weird. Talking about dancing felt just as awkward as doing it. But Miles didn't laugh. He didn't even snicker. He just held onto that innocent smile of his as if he saw the sincerity of what I was doing.

"Now _that_ sounds like something special," he said and we started to walk towards my neighborhood together. "Do you think she'll go along with it?"

"She will but I'm 100% sure that on the inside she'll be pissed at me. Putting her on the spot isn't something she's comfortable with but that's fine. She can have her revenge on Monday for all I care."

"I think you'll only have to worry if you two are going to dance in front of others."

"Oh no, no, no. This is just between me and her. I found a quiet area of the park that's hardly ever used so things should be okay."

…But only if that area is as empty as it was a few days ago when I found it. If a picnic or some event is going on there then all of this work I've done will go to waste. I can't walk around with Blaze looking for a private spot without her raising an eyebrow.

"Oh. Then I guess it's good luck to you. You'll tell me all about it at school right?"

"Sure thing! Later Miles."

The kid ran off back towards his home and I went to mine to wait out the long four hours before the birthday celebration. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about Blaze's reaction. No amount of encouragement is going to stop me from fretting over that.

* * *

When the time came, I gathered up all the necessary materials: my battery powered stereo with the waltz CD inside of it, the strawberry cake, candles for the cake, and matches to light the candles. My aunt and uncle were in the living room watching their usual programs and, thankfully, didn't grill me as I headed out the back door once more with the birthday supplies. The hustle and bustle of Saturday afternoon was in full swing as I walked through the various neighborhoods towards the park. Folks were out cleaning their lawns of fallen leaves, kids were out playing in the neighborhoods, and the plaza area was busy with early holiday shoppers. I contemplated making a last minute stop at the gift shop in the plaza but the crowds deterred me from doing so. Which was probably for the best. Most of the cash I had this week went into the birthday cake. Then there's the fact that I hadn't done any jobs around the neighborhood lately due to school and everything else I'm involved in. So I had to save what little I had for snacks from the school vending machine and errands auntie sent me on.

At the park, the meeting spot I told Blaze to come to was vacant and I felt both relieved and nervous at once. As I set the stereo down on a picnic table underneath a large oak tree, I wondered if Blaze would be able to find this place. I was pretty specific with my directions. "Picnic area C near the pavilion" according to the note I slipped into her locker yesterday. …Maybe I should convince Blaze to talk her parents into buying a cell phone for her. After a final check of everything, I figured I could get in one last practice dance before she arrived. I started up the CD on track one and began to waltz with and invisible partner and even practiced my dip technique. …Not exactly smooth or useful without an actual body to hold onto. To my shock and embarrassment, I suddenly heard someone clapping…from above in one of the nearby trees. I looked around thinking Miles might've trailed me here secretly. But I found someone much more disappointing instead. Shadow. He sat on one of the lower branches of one of the tall trees about ten feet from where I stood. He appeared comfortable leaning back against the trunk and continued his slow, sarcastic applause. How did this guy find me?

"Your form needs work," he said nonchalantly. "It's a decent effort though."

At that moment the memory of my last encounter with him rushed back and shot my blood pressure up slightly. Stay calm Mighty. He's just here to harass me…and most likely Blaze too. There's nothing going on between those two. She hates him just as much as I do.

"Telling yourself that I'm no threat to your relationship with Blaze?" Shadow said.

"Are you deliberately doing this today?" I said.

"Doing what? I'm just here to celebrate her birthday with you."

"You don't strike me as the celebratory type."

"I'm not. But I'll make an exception for Blaze. She deserves it."

The nerve of this guy… Just then, Shadow jumped out of the tree and began to approach me but I saved him a few steps and met the hedgehog halfway. As we stared each other down I got the impression that he was trying to read into me searching for something to set me off. He's free to do so but I'm sure my real message is getting across to him loud and clear with my stalwart stance and clenched fists. …And then he laughed. Huh?

"I have no clue what you think I'm going to do but it sure is funny seeing you overreact to nothing," he said chuckling a little. "I think I'm starting to see why Blaze keeps you for company. You're a one-man show! Sacrificing, amusing, and inspiring albeit in a sappy way."

What happened after that was a knee jerk reaction. I grabbed Shadow by the tuff of hair on his chest and readied my fist to punch him right between the eyes. …But I didn't. Being an instigator of violence was something I worked hard to avoid despite my opposing feelings from time to time. I've never let anyone or anything get to me and the same goes for this guy. Regardless of what he says for the sake of riling me up. Shadow was released and I paced away from him rubbing my hands across my face.

"No…just don't…" I muttered to myself.

"I really don't mean any harm," I heard Shadow say. "I was just curious about you."

"If that's all you want then bother me some other time," I said turning back and approaching him again. "Today's _not_ a good day."

His reaction was slow. Almost contemplative as he tilted his head a little and crossed his arms as if he saw something sad and unfortunate.

"I was going to ask why today was bad for you," he began. "But now I'm more interested in wondering why you're so protective of her." Shadow began pacing around me. "This is the second time we spoken and already you're treating me like I'm some lifelong rival or enemy. I've never fought you in a proper fight, argued with you, or made any attempt to hurt you at all. And yet you put up just about every defense you can after I said a few words to you."

"Only because I've learned from Blaze that you like to pull people into elaborate, drawn out plans. So I think my reaction is perfectly acceptable," I said.

"Yes, there's that." He suddenly looked at me with a grim expression. "But I think the problem is much more simple than that. Blaze is the one you don't trust. Not me."

Wha…what is _that_ suppose to mean? No, no! Don't get taken in by his words! That's an obvious trap he's setting me up for.

"Nice try," I said playing it cool. "You might want to try harder if you think that'll be enough to throw me off."

"If I wanted to throw you off, kid, I would've gotten a little more personal. _That_ was just me figuring out what you refuse to see."

Again, my anger got the best of me and I reacted violently. This time knocking Shadow to the ground and pinning him by the neck with my foot.

"The only person who's having trouble seeing is you," I snarled. "And if your eyesight is that bad then I'll give you a nice, detailed description. Blaze has been through a lot in a few years and some of it was bad. _I_ came into the picture to help her out at Sonic's request and help put all of that behind her. She loses more of her friends and, again, needs support to get her through. I step up and offer her a shoulder to lean on and she's happy again. Happier than she's ever been according what she told me a few weeks ago. So I've done my part and kept my promise to Sonic and now she's showing signs of wanting to take things further with me. Do I have to continue or do you finally see where you _don't_ fit in here?"

That entire time, Shadow struggled to push my foot off of him and my boiling anger receded enough to show some mercy. Once the black and red hedgehog was back on his feet, he wiped off the dirt from the tuff of hair on his chest before saying anything.

"What I almost saw was something I didn't expect," he said sounding like he lost complete interest in the conversation. "I almost saw my own reflection. I say almost because, unlike you, I have better control over the simplest aspects of my emotions."

"Personally, I think you'd be a much better person if you could control that mouth of yours," I said.

"And personally, I prefer being straight forward. It's the one reason why I know what Blaze is afraid of and what hurts her the most. Two things you'll never figure out no matter how 'close' you are to her."

"…Get the hell out of here."

Finally, Shadow actually did something I asked him to and disappeared in a blue flash.

That was a genuine test of my nerves. I haven't felt like that since my rehab after the car accident years ago. In any case Shadow's gone and just in time too. I glanced at my cell and saw that it was time for the show to start. Blaze should be here any second…and she was. Right on schedule like the diligent friend she is.

"I would comment on how nice the weather is but let's just get to the obvious. Why call me out to this secluded area?" Blaze said upon approach.

She looked at the white box and stereo on the picnic table and then back at me crossing her arms.

"Subtle," she said and I laughed.

"Yeah I guess this isn't a total surprise," I said scratching the back of my head. "But you don't know what I'm going to do!"

Again, she looked at the setup on the picnic table and studied it for a few seconds before answering.

"Please tell me you bought one of those expensive talking, mutated mouse toys from the store. You know, the ones that 'talk back' to you and jitter around like they ate a bunch of sugar." She smirked but knew she was wrong. I give her points for creativity.

"Not exactly. Those are a little beyond my budget."

I walked over to the white box and opened by pulling up the top and gently ripping the sides down to reveal the strawberry laden birthday cake. Blaze joined me and smiled at the cute confection.

"Wow. I gotta hand it to you," she said. "You really had me going there with the suspicious set up and then went all…normal in the end. So it's just an afternoon of cake eating and listening to the radio?"

"Close but still wrong," I said sticking four candles into the tiny cake. "It's simple yet complex at the same time."

I took the box of matches and lit all the candles.

"Make a wish and then you'll get your present," I said stepping away for Blaze to move in.

"I'll take the predictable route and say…strawberries _inside_ the cake. And then a listen of that album from the punk band in Knothole. You know, the one with the two green hedgehogs."

The Underground? I've been hearing more and more about them lately from everyone at school. Especially how the lead singer has a bit of a mean streak. That could've been a cool present, but I'm not sure what type of music Blaze is into…or if she'll even like them. I watched her blow the candles out and applauded her which, rightfully, got a strange look from Blaze.

"Sorry," I said. "That was just a natural reaction. It's what's always happened at every birthday party I've gone to…and even my own."

"I've seen stranger customs I suppose," she said shrugging her shoulders. "So, where's the real present?"

That was my cue to start up the piano CD and I held out a hand towards Blaze. As expected, she reacted with aversion taking a step back and looking at me with incredulous eyes.

"Um…okay? What's going on?" she asked.

"Haha! What do you think?" I said. "Take my hand. I won't bite."

"And then what?"

"We'll…dance."

She froze with a half smile on her face that made her look more scared than anything. So much for relying on her benevolent nature. Coaxing her to dance is going to take a little more effort on my end. I took a few steps forwards and she mirrored me going backwards. Again, I pleaded with Blaze as gently as I could until I decided to just dive in and go for it. I strode forward and grabbed her by the hand remaining friendly all the while and even chuckling at her uncharacteristic timid response. I think the laugh was unintentional. It's rare to see Blaze so vulnerable like this. It's almost…cute.

"No, I don't think you want to do this," she said. "I'm…it's…this is going to end badly and I have really bad coordination."

"Fine by me," I said. "I'm still pretty terrible and I've had a month to learn."

Just then she dropped her hesitant behavior and eyed me suspiciously again.

"So that's where you've been disappearing to. I suppose Tiara doesn't have anything to do with it?"

I didn't see a reason to hide it anymore so I laughed out of guilt.

"I see. Well, it was a thoughtful present but there's no way you're getting me to dance. Especially when you have a month of experience over me. Let's just have some cake before the mood gets sour."

She turned to walk back to the table but I couldn't let her quash this dream of mine so easily. I snatched her hand again but made my desperation a little more clear this time.

"Blaze, please," I said looking straight into her gorgeous, golden eyes. "I worked so hard putting all of this together. It doesn't look like much but…I won't let you walk away without at least trying to dance. Just this one time, that's all I'm asking for."

A silence hung between us save for the piano music and the distant noises of other park visitors somewhere beyond the nearby pavilion. There was a slight twitch in Blaze's expression and I could only assume it was the weight of my words sinking in. I whispered "please" again and squeezed her hand a little which had the opposite affect of turning her face sour in disgust. So I was left with not other option but to get down on one knee and, successfully, she blushed, her jaw dropping open.

"I promise, I won't ask you to do anything this embarrassing again," I said.

"Fine, fine! Just stand up!" she hissed while pulling on me.

By now, the CD was on the third or fourth song. I wasn't really sure since they were all waltzes that sounded the same. With her guard lowered, I stepped towards Blaze and took her into the starting position with one hand on her hip and the other grasping her left hand. I started up a dance count to the rhythm of the music and stepped towards her and Blaze followed my lead. It was just as I anticipated. Stiff as a couple of corpses dancing in a preset area of grass. The fact that both of us had our eyes glued to the ground probably added more pity than necessary. I had to say something.

"You know," I started. "Tiara kept scolding me about looking down like this."

"Well you're the 'expert' between us," said Blaze. "Isn't that something you can easily fix?"

My nerves got the best of me and I coughed up a weak laugh.

"I'm…I'm still working on that."

After another series of steps in the box pattern, Blaze speaks up.

"Why is this so important to you? Wanting to dance with me?"

While the answer was all too obvious at this point, a knot in my throat prevented me from saying anything. Instead I just tightened my grip on her hand slightly and breathed deeply.

"I guess it's obvious so…it was stupid of me to even ask," she said and there was another pause filled by the waltz music. "But are you sure? Are you sure that this is what you want?"

The pressure was killing me and I brought us to a stop and lifted my face. Blaze did the same as well and, at mere inches away, her reddened cheeks caused my face to flush up. I had to get the words out now.

"This is the first time in my entire life I've been so sure of something," I said and cupped her cheek with my right hand. "Even though we've only known each other for a little over a year, they way we operate, the way we interact and bounce off of each other…it's like we've been friends for years. But I don't want to stop there…I want use to go a little further. Especially after all that you've been through. Losing Tikal and Knuckles…that boy getting murdered…and all of this stalking from Shadow. A smart and pretty girl like you should never have to deal with stuff like that. And I want to be the guy who makes sure it never happens again."

"Mighty, please," said Blaze as she tried to step away but I held her close by her waist. "This is a little too much."

"I mean it Blaze. I want you. I seriously do…and I know you feel the same way about me. Or…at least I hope you do."

She remained silent so I pulled her a little closer allowing our bodies to touch and took her hand again. However, we just swayed back and forth to the music abandoning the formal dance.

"I do," I heard her whisper to me. "I feel the same way too. I just…didn't want to make myself so vulnerable because of Shadow."

"Please don't say his name," I said. "It's just us here. And it'll always be just the two of us. Whatever you go through, I'll go through because I'll never leave your side…ever."

"You don't mean that do you?"

"Of course I do and I can prove it to you." Again, I stopped us and gently pulled away from Blaze. "But I can only prove it if you let me kiss you."

The romantic air immediately left her as she rolled her eyes unimpressed.

"Fine then," she said and offered me her cheek.

Not what I was hoping for but I already ticked her off enough with the surprise dance. So I leaned in and gave Blaze a soft kiss on her cheek and she smiled and went right back to her romantic mood. We started our sway again and all seemed quiet until Blaze spoke up once more.

"I'm going to kill you for this," she said as innocently as she could.

"By all means, do what you must," I answered.

"You took that better than I expected. At least you didn't do something extremely dumb like try to dip me as if this was some cheesy movie."

Oh yeah…I almost forgot about that. I worried, for a second, about how to signal Blaze for a dip. But then I realized that doing such a thing would require letting her know about it before hand. I wanted it to be an extra "present" for her so I made the brazen decision to just go with it. In one swift movement I leaned towards her and, much to my surprise, she was so shocked by this that her body relaxed allowing me to take control. My hand remained strong supporting her back as we leaned over into a low dip but I still maintained the "comfort space" between us. Whatever lovey-dovey mood she was in vanished instantly as it was replaced by confusion and embarrassment. I decided to up the awkwardness of the situation and nudged my nose against hers playfully. It earned me a rightful slap to the face. Not too hard to hurt but enough for me to lift Blaze back up. She straightened out her jacket and fixed her single ponytail before walking back to the picnic table to her waiting birthday cake.

"Let's just eat the cake before this day gets any more awkward than it already is," she said going back to her usual cynical self.

There aren't enough words to describe just how crazy I am for her now.

* * *

_Yes, The Underground is a direct reference to Sonic Underground...with a different guitarist. It's not hard to guess who._


	37. Shadow: The Progress

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**Shadow: The Progress**

_November  
_Disgusting. It was the only way I could describe what I saw last week between Blaze and Mighty. That dance and…that patronizing kiss. I should've slammed him in the throat and gutted him afterwards but…patience. What I need right now is more time and information, not a release for my frustrations. For the time being, I made my base of operations an old newspaper factory no longer in use on the south side of town. Unfortunately, electricity no longer ran through the building forcing my base set up to take a little longer than expected. An external power source was required to run the laptop where all of my experiment data was stored. Espio took care of that errand after some heavy handed convincing and, after that, everything was set up nicely in the administrative area on the factory's left side. I had cooped myself up in one of the empty offices for the past week tweaking a new formula for the Chaos Liquid. The longest I've spent working ever since I began this tedious process months ago after the semi-successful experiment on the echidna woman. The burning passion I had for this potential source of ultimate power has waned. After traveling hundreds of miles to find remote areas safe from G.U.N.'s radar and dealing with one failed formula after the next, it was hard to hide my desperation at this point. Being around Blaze seems to quell the feeling but her leap forward in her relationship with that _boy_ has sent me into overdrive.

I ran the current iteration of the Chaos Liquid formula through the computer simulation…and received a 93% chance of success! The highest so far! I closed the laptop and collapsed onto the desk with relief. Despite my excitement over this outcome, I knew that this was only the beginning of the last leg of this journey. I still had to micromanage my plans with Blaze and keep tabs on both Silver and that little G.U.N. unit that just moved in. …And right on cue I heard the distant sound of the heavy door closing at the entrance to the administrative area. Espio must've returned with his periodic intelligence report. I met the chameleon out in the hallway and he seemed surprised at the sudden spring in my step.

"I trust you brought back information worth my time?" I said.

"Uh yes," he said handing over his spy camera and recorder.

"Good." I turned and went back into the small office with Espio close behind. "I'll be making another trip out of town soon. You know what to do."

"Right. Hold down the fort. And if things go awry?"

"They **won't**," I said glaring at him from behind the opened laptop.

Again, he's bringing in unnecessary doubt as if he's sure my plans are to fail just because I "assume" too much. What he'll probably never accept is that I don't assume what others will do…I _know_ what they'll do. And I know the pawns in my plan very, _very_ well. But, just to reaffirm my power over him, I decided to give Espio another run down of how this situation will play out.

"G.U.N. is too cautious to make any brash movements after my hostage attempt so they'll stay put so long as you stay out of their sight…literally. There's not much Silver can do at this point. He may be able to levitate objects into the air but sustained flight is still out of his reach. And as for Blaze…she'll allow the relationship to progress at her own pace. A pace that I'm very familiar with. Things will be the same when I return with the successful Chaos Liquid formula."

"So you've figured it out this time?" Espio said with his arms crossed.

"Yes…and you better drop the sarcasm before I put both of us into a compromising situation."

Espio had no comebacks after that. I proceeded to transfer the image files off the camera as well as the audio from the recording device. While the progress bar was still active for the audio transfer, I pulled up the images to see what Espio had captured. Images of Blaze interacting with her usual social circle at school, the so-called "undercover" G.U.N. agents around town, Rouge lingering about in the village area…and Silver sustaining flight through levitation. Damn.

"There's also images of the base of operations for the G.U.N. unit," the chameleon informed me.

"I see…" I said having reached them in the slideshow.

A quaint little house just a few blocks away from the remains of the echidna home. Obviously _not_ a coincidence. When I scrolled back to the image of Silver in midair I took notice of the date.

"This was taken a few weeks ago," I said turning the laptop towards Espio. "This couldn't have been the only instance."

"You're right," said the chameleon. "I've actually spotted him going across town at night a few times. I've had trouble tailing him at first because Rouge was doing the same but eventually I managed to figure out where he was going."

I raised an eyebrow and gestured for him to continue.

"He…he's aware of Blaze's relationship with the armadillo. On Sunday of last weekend, he spent a few hours in a tree watching Blaze and Mighty talk. I suspect he may have feelings for her."

That was the day after her birthday…and that sickening display of affection. I had already locked myself up in this office at that point. I took another look through the photos and then pulled up the file of that boy leading the G.U.N. unit. It was something retrieved while I was out of town some months ago testing another prototype of the Chaos Liquid. Despite having memorized the entire file from start to finish, I still glanced over it for brainstorming purposes. …Got it. The perfect plan.

"A slight change of plans Espio," I said after tossing the camera and recording device back to him. "Things will move forward as we've discussed but will be executed a little differently."

"How so?" he said.

"Instead of setting myself up as the bait that draws out the tension between Mighty and Blaze, I'll let Silver take care of that. It might be far more effective if his passion for Blaze is as persistent as his stalking."

Espio crossed his arms and looked away in uncertainty. Surely, he'll see that this removes him slightly from the attention of undercover agents. The original plan required that he drew their attention and led them to Mighty and myself.

"So Silver will be the one that brings G.U.N. to you," he said catching on quickly.

"Exactly," I answered.

"But you'll still have to be captured by them."

"It's the only way to draw their attention away from here once everything has been set up. The inevitable break down between Mighty and Blaze can't happen if G.U.N. snatches her and Silver away. Then she'll just long for the armadillo more."

Throughout the conversation, I came to realize that having Silver in the mix could be extremely beneficial. If he also gets into a fight with Blaze then that's two emotional ties broken leaving her even more emotionally vulnerable when I return. I packed away the laptop in the backpack just underneath the desk and nodded to Espio to take care of things as usual. But then I stopped realizing I had forgotten one more thing. I opened up the top draw of the desk and tossed a set of keys to my servant. His general stoic looked turned to one of concern and the hasty sounds of his footsteps followed me out of the office.

"You'll keep up your end of the deal, right?" he said with an air of desperation.

"Of course," I waved a hand at him nonchalantly. "The kid's only here to make sure you do your part of the job. Don't worry, after we executed the plan and I'm captured just follow the orders on the laptop and he's as free as a bird."

"Really?"

"Yes, _really_." I stopped and immediately turned to face Espio. "Take him wherever you want but don't get too relaxed. I'll be expecting you afterwards for the finale."

As it stands now, it'll be some time before I can break out of Prison Island. The military will most likely anticipate a mid-transport escape (something I've done before) and probably fortify their security this time. So I'll have to put in a little more effort and escape from the island itself; a task so great that even the word "daunting" isn't enough to describe it. And the exact method of escape is even less certain as that part of plan falls solely onto Espio's shoulders with minimal input from me. I just hope his morals don't get the better of him as he'll probably end up committing a few unforgivable sins to pull it off. Before I left, I decided to stop and watch Espio enter into the only office with a brand new set of locks. He frantically went through all four locks, threw the door open, and rushed in to kneel before his unfortunate friend. A small bee child, wearing a brown helmet with his antennae sticking out from underneath and a matching vest, laid unconscious on the floor with a clear, blue, dome over him. He wasn't dead, just in a coma-like state. The stasis bubble, powered by a metal box attached to one end near the boy's head, was a nifty piece of G.U.N. tech that I've seen used in action to apprehend dangerous criminals. Keeps the suspect down yet alive for up to several months. I "borrowed" one on my previous visit to a G.U.N. base since it seemed like it could come in handy at some point.

"I'm sorry Charmy," the chameleon said as he pressed his hands against the dome. "I'll get you back to your family soon."

"Keep up your end of the plan and you'll get the code to free him," I said.

And that was about all the sentiment I could take and I left. It wasn't my idea from the get go to kidnap the boy but Espio left me with no other choice when he tried to stand up to me during the summer. He's a valuable asset to me and I had to keep him under my thumb somehow. He'd be the only one suffering right now if that kid wasn't around at the time of our argument.


	38. My Choice

Silver & Blaze: Our Story

_Deconstruction  
_**My Choice**

_January  
_It felt weird at first. Being in an actual romantic relationship. I thought it would be a little different. With the way older kids and adults talk about it, I figured it meant that things would be really different between me and Mighty. Turns out it's the opposite of that. We're pretty much the same together…except for all the hand holding we do. Although, it's only outside of school that we hold hands due to a strict "public displays of affection" rule at school. Still, others found out somehow (i.e. Mighty possibly bragging). So I occasionally get a passing comment from someone I hardly talk to or even know. It's more accurate to say that a romantic relationship changes the world around the lovers and not necessarily the dynamic between the lovers themselves.

All that aside, the other noticeable change has been my overall mood. For the longest time even though I felt okay in general, deep down it always felt like there was some dark, bottomless pool of despair trying to drown me from within. Perhaps that's where my subtle sarcasm grew from. That place that first appeared when I was burned in the house fire just a few years ago. …So this is what it's like to be genuinely happy. To not worry about things like where Knuckles and Tiara disappeared to or if Silver is holding his own across town in the old neighborhood. To not be bothered by the growing unrest between mobians and humans or the possible threat of the new "robian" race. To not constantly think about the next encounter I'll have with Shadow…because such things don't matter when you're genuinely happy. This lighter-than-air feeling is just…wonderful. And if push came to shove and sadness ever threatened me, then I'd at least have someone to stand by my side and endure it with me.

Out of nowhere, I felt a sudden tap on my back and spun around to see Tails with my history spiral notebook in hand.

"Thanks for lending me your notes," he said as I took the yellow book from him.

"It was nothing," I said. "You were caught off guard getting sick all of the sudden right at the end of the Christmas break."

"Y-yeah. Something like that." Miles laughed adjusting his red beanie on his head.

Another freezing breeze blew by as I scanned the crowded school entrance for Mighty peering as hard as I could through the masses of students leaving. No sign of him anywhere. Strange. Ever since we got together, he was always out here waiting for me.

"Are you looking for Mighty?" I heard Miles ask suddenly.

"Yeah. It's not like him to disappear on me without giving me a heads up first. I wonder if he got caught up with something at the last minute…"

"Actually…" I looked over at Miles. "I saw him leaving about ten minutes ago. He passed me in the hallway. He seemed like he was in a rush…and really angry."

"Angry? About what?" I said.

"I didn't ask. Or more like I couldn't, he was moving so fast." The fox paused briefly to pull a piece of folded paper from his pocket. "Mighty dropped this on his way out. I don't know what it means but I'm guessing someone has been bothering him for a while. All this week he seemed agitated."

I took the paper from him and a quick skim over the contents told me _everything_.

"_I've stood by long enough. I'm coming for what I deserve._"

Dammit. Shadow. Looks like he's making his move on whatever plan is up his sleeve. I left the school grounds ignoring Miles calling after me and headed for Mighty's neighborhood. If Shadow were to ambush him somewhere, it'd have to be near there. Possibly in the grove of trees between my apartment complex and Mighty's home.

A short time later, I reached the grove almost out of breath and sweating a little underneath my winter jacket. No signs of a struggle. Did Shadow lead Mighty to somewhere else? Great. I probably should've cooled my head first…huh? There's something in that tree over there. Upon closer inspection I recognized the shining object as Espio's ninja dagger…and a note was attached to it.

"_Southern edge of town near the newspaper factory._"

So that's where Shadow's drawn him out to. I knew the factory's location and it's quite a run from here. I threw off my backpack and took off south praying that whatever he was going through, Mighty would hang in there long enough for my arrival.

* * *

Either time slowed to a crawl or my own strength and passion drove me to run faster because I reached the factory much sooner than I thought I would. I stopped in the parking lot and calculated where Shadow could've taken my boyfriend. Knowing him, he'd want to take his time with his victims since I get the feeling that this was a drawn out plan. And considering his reputation in town, especially with the local authorities, he'd have to toy with Mighty in some place that would allow an easy get away. The inside of the factory would allow Shadow to be surrounded easily if any attention was drawn. I better check the other side of the factory. I think it opens up into the plains on the south side of Emerald Town.

Off to the side of the building was the shipping area with a steel fence running around it. A hole in the fence allowed me passage through and after a short run around the building I was on the other side looking out towards the tan plains south of town. About half a mile out I saw the recognizable figures of Shadow and Mighty standing near some flat rocks and facing each other. I had to get out there and stop Shadow from doing serious damage…but I wasn't fast enough. After running out a few steps the boys went at it fighting each other. Even at a distance, their scuffle looked raw and dirty like wild animals and only drove me to run faster. When I was within shouting distance I cried as loud as I could to get their attention.

"Stop! Both of you!" my throat strained to yell out but it was useless.

They were too far into the heat of battle and I was left with no choice but to intervene the only other way I knew how. A searing heat built up in my right hand, one that caused a brief moment of nostalgia. From there I let my emotions go and put it all into that hand allowing the heat to intensify and the fireball grow. And then it was launched towards the boys but I was sure to aim it off to the side. It landed close enough to stop their primal battle.

"Blaze!" Mighty shouted.

Our eyes met and the anger and worry within me cooled quickly once I saw him with no serious injuries aside from a few bruises. Unfortunately, the moment was shatter when Shadow shot to his feet and began to charge me with a glowing fist. He caught me unawares momentarily but once I analyzed the situation, the fireball reappeared in hand ready to strike down the dark hedgehog. But it never came to pass. Shadow was just a few feet from me when he stopped dead in his tracks and a strange, sea green aura surrounded him. My heart skipped at the sudden occurrence and I took a few trepid steps towards the immobilized hedgehog stuck in a charging pose like some action figure.

When I looked passed the hedgehog at Mighty, he, too, wore an expression that was just as shocked as I was. And then his eyes suddenly darted back towards the factory and he lifted a finger pointing in awe. The sight that awaited me made my jaw drop and my knees weak. I fell back gasping harder than I ever did before. Silver, my first and closest friend, the boy who always relied on me for emotional support, and stood by me even after the house fire accident, floated silently towards us. His body surrounded by a large, ghostly aura glowing the same sea green color surrounding Shadow and eyes shining just as bright with the same color. The closer he got with his stern glare, the more nervous I grew and backed away in a slight panic. He must've taken notice of my body language for his expression became sympathetic, a look I fondly remembered, and he descended to the ground.

"Blaze, relax. It's just me," Silver said as he held out a hand towards me.

I knew it was Silver, I remember seeing his powers during the hostage situation two years ago. But…I didn't think his abilities would mature so quickly and make him seem downright intimidating. Even to me. Again he spoke my name gently but his voice contrasted too much with his godly, glowing eyes and bright aura that rose off of him like smoke.

"I-I know it's you Silver," I said not even bothering to mask my fear. "But…but…what the hell happened to you?"

The silver hedgehog was taken aback by my words and he examined himself.

"Oh," he said. "I didn't notice it was that intense this time."

He closed his eyes and immediately the aura faded. I could finally see the boy I remembered. But the loss of Silver's aura also had the side effect of releasing Shadow from his hold and after the black hedgehog stumbled forward a bit, he glared at my friend and charged him instead. Without flinching, Silver raised his hand quickly towards his attacker and Shadow was stopped again mid-pose. The aura returning to both of them though not as intense as it was around Silver. With a flick of Silver's wrist, Shadow was sent sliding back across the dirt and held down in a straight position by my friend's powers. The light colored hedgehog approached his opponent.

"If you haven't noticed by now, I've had a lot of time to get better with these powers," Silver said with a look of pure disdain in his eyes. "And even more time to think about Blaze and whether or not she was safe from you. Looks like she wasn't…so I'll have to fix that."

Suddenly, Shadow began to writhe on the ground gasping for air as if the oxygen around him disappeared. I finally realized what Silver was doing and ran over to him latching onto his arm.

"Stop it Silver! This is going too far!" I said.

"But he's hurt a lot of people, right?" said Silver. "Like those kids who disappeared last summer? I heard they went to your school."

For a moment, my determination faltered at the memory of Knuckles and Tikal but I regained my composure and pulled harder on Silver's arm.

"You're just becoming what he is and solving a problem using force! What good will that do in the end?"

"It'll save the girl that I love! That's what!"

He shoved me away and the shock of his statement left me speechless and helpless from falling on my rear end. My mind literally went blank as I stared up at the boy who used to rely on me so much. This is what's become of him without me. This confident, mature, and…aggressive person. The same words that could be used to describe Shadow…applied to Silver now. And what's more is what he said. "…the girl that I love." That's how he feels about me now? No. I'm sure Silver's always had those feelings for me but was just confused by them. Somewhere inside of me I might've given that possibility a thought. The possibility that Silver's over attachment to me was more romantic than childish. But thinking of that kind of thing always embarrassed me and made me feel weak. So it's no surprise I brushed off the chance of romance between Silver and I as something silly. Well, I can't do that anymore. It's out in the open now. Out in front of my real boyfriend Mighty and…oh that's right…Shadow.

I stood up calmer than I've been since this wild chase began and approached Silver still strangling the black hedgehog. I spoke his name gently and the second he glanced over was when I hit him as hard as I could with my fist. Silver fell and lost concentration on his telekinetic powers freeing up Shadow.

"Ow! What was that for?" he said rubbing his sore cheek.

My face felt hot and flustered but only because of what Silver said and not because of what he was doing.

"Killing is wrong," I answered though the punch was really for embarrassing me in front of my boyfriend. "It doesn't matter the reason. I could never forgive someone who takes the life of another."

My friend was still dumbfounded but finally had nothing to say and just soothed his wound. At that moment, I heard Mighty call out to me and when I looked in his direction Shadow was getting up and growling under his breath.

"Found you…" he said glaring at Silver.

The speed at which Shadow moved after that was unreal. Even I couldn't stop him from wrapping his hands around Silver's neck. The two boys wrestled against each other until a gunshot stopped them landing in the dirt nearby. When all of us looked back towards the factory, a group of adults, some in suits and others in plain clothes, were running towards us with weapons in hand…and among them were Rouge and Miles? The boy was kneeling down with his gun aimed at the two hedgehogs but then he stood and ran towards us along with the rest of the group. At the same time, a harsh wind kicked up right near me forcing me to shield my eyes. When the quick gust died down, I saw Espio grab Shadow by the arm and the two took off heading west out into the fields. The group of adults suddenly split up at Miles's command: half went after the fugitives with Miles while Rouge and the others approached myself and the two boys. Mighty came to my side and grabbed onto my hand.

"Are you three hurt?" Rouge asked when she reached us.

Aside from the slight bruise on his face I gave him, Silver was fine. Mighty was a little worse for wear due to his fight with Shadow. Obviously, this was something that wasn't overlooked by the bat.

"Ah, don't mind me," Mighty said putting on a smile. "These are just superficial. I'll be okay."

Rouge still grimaced and I don't blame her. He got into a fist fight with Shadow and _only_ got away with minor bruising.

"In any case, _you_ should consider yourself lucky," she said pointing at Silver.

When he looked at her he was taken by surprise for some reason. Perhaps he's seen her before?

"Y-you're that lady!" he said. "The one who talked to me at the water fountain!"

She ignored his words and approached the hedgehog and grabbed his face. She looked over the bruise and then glanced at the rest of his body, I guess to make sure he wasn't seriously injured. Silver blushed and admitted that I was the one who hit him in the face.

"If it was to put him in his place then good job," she said as she took out her cell phone and started sending a message. "Can't have two boys running around abusing their powers."

"Rouge," I said. "what's going on?"

"You'll find out later…the both of you I guess," her eyes flashed onto Mighty for a moment. "For now, just go home and stay indoors for the rest of the day. And as for you…"

All of the sudden, Rouge took out a small, slender, metal object and pressed the barrel of it against Silver's arm. He yelped leaving me to believe she had just injected him with something.

"I'm taking you home," she said grabbing the hedgehog by the arm.

"W-wait!" Silver tore away from the bat. "Just who are you? And what did you put in me?"

For a moment Rouge looked taken aback but smiled as she reached into the inside of her blazer and took out what looked to be a thin wallet.

"My apologies kid," she said flashing her G.U.N. I.D. at Silver. "I got caught up in the mission and forgot my manners. Rouge the Bat, undercover G.U.N. agent. And that injection was just a chemical to suppress your powers temporarily."

"Oh. So you're Rouge," said Silver.

"You've heard of me? From Sonic I assume?"

The hedgehog nodded.

"Look, I know it was wrong for me to use my powers like that but…" Silver paused to look at me with regretful eyes and then his attention was back on the G.U.N. agent. "Can I just have a moment to talk with Blaze? Please?"

Again, Rouge took out her cell phone but only took a quick glance at it.

"Fine. You got three minutes," she said.

A look of relief washed over Silver and Rouge, along with the four other G.U.N. agents, walked away to give us some privacy. My longtime friend faced Mighty and I…and his expression turned into one of concern. I guess it's time to have "that talk" now.

"I guess I'll have to be straight forward about this," he said. "Blaze, I don't like it. I don't want you to be with him."

My jaw dropped but only because I never expected Silver to take such a stalwart stance against my relationship. I was sure he'd accept it with some reluctance.

"Hey now hold on a second," Mighty said as he released my hand. "Don't you think that's a little unfair to demand? Especially since you haven't seen her for a few years? Not to mention, you don't know a thing about me."

"I've known her for a lot longer than you have so _don't_ tell me what I can and can't say to her."

"You're free to say whatever you want. I just think bossing her around crosses the line."

"I'm not bossing her around. I'm just looking out for her since she'd do the same for me if I unknowingly put myself in a dangerous position."

"So she's as naïve as you are? Talk about a backhanded compliment to someone who still speaks respectfully of you despite feeling like she was your babysitter at times. I think Blaze is perfectly capable of deciding what's right for her."

"Like how she decided to start dating you? From what I saw, you practically cornered her until she agreed to go along with it you hypocritical bast—"

"Just stop! Both of you!" I came in between the boys the moment Silver took a menacing step towards Mighty.

I looked out to Rouge and the other agents. Apparently I was loud enough to get the bat's attention but she just turned away and went back to whatever she was discussing with the other adults. She must've figured that whatever was going on between the three of us didn't need G.U.N.'s attention. Thank goodness for that. Mighty spoke to me gently but I held up a hand towards him and Silver. This atmosphere is starting to suffocate me a little. All of this commotion over me… I can't stand it.

"Just do what I ask. Please…" Silver said calmly after crossing his arms and looking away from me.

"Why should I?" I said.

"Because…you don't need this right now. You don't need a relationship. Not while _he's_ out doing whatever he wants."

"And if G.U.N. captures Shadow, then what?"

"Then I'll let you do whatever. I'll never bother you again about this."

"You're lying."

He looked over at me from the corner of his eye and knew that I could see he true feelings right now.

"Well…you won't hear a word out of me. I'll keep my thoughts to myself and stay out of sight."

"Until we do something else you won't like."

Silver's brow furrowed as I hit another emotional target on him but he remained silent.

"Going back to what you said earlier…that you saw us. Just how long have you been spying on me?" I said.

"Just before your birthday," Silver answered. "I figured out how to sustain flight and occasionally went across town to just…watch you for a few hours."

Usually I'd be repulsed over the thought of being stalked but this is Silver we're dealing with. Any obsession with me is normal for him.

"You need to stop doing that," I said to him.

"I don't think I can keep that promise," he said.

"I know you won't. I'm not that naïve. But I have to say it or else you'll assume that I want to be watched over like some toddler."

Silver let out a weak embarrassed laugh as he dropped his arms to his sides.

"I guess…I got ahead of myself…again." He laughed pathetically at himself while I maintained a straight face. "Looks like you don't need me after all."

"If I need you I'll tell you myself. Just go already," I said in a flat tone.

Not once did Silver look back at me as he slinked away towards Rouge and the others. And that moment, the sight watching Silver walk away without a hint of anxiety over me, was when my heart began to crack and tears gathered in my eyes. Suddenly Mighty grabbed my chin and turned my face towards him for a passionate kiss on the lips. But it was too much for me and I pulled away and wiped my eyes.

"Nothing's going to happen," said Mighty. "Friends fight but it hardly ever changes much between them."

"I know but…I don't know how long it'll be like this. Before Silver finally walks away for good."

He took me by the hands and leaned his forehead against mine with the most benevolent smile he could muster up underneath his injuries.

"Did you forget what I told you? That I'd always be at your side through everything so you'll never be alone? I'm right here Blaze, so stop worrying."

"Stop worrying" he says. But does he really understand how hard it is for me to do that? Like clockwork something terrible has happened to me for three years now and I can feel it happening again. Deep down to the core of my bones I sense that all of this is the calm before the storm. Before something unimaginable happens again. What it is I'm not sure of. Right now my feelings are split down the middle between Mighty and Silver. I hate Silver for what he's been doing and for what it's turned him into. He's supposed to be gentle and full of hope and curiosity not paranoid and possessive of me. And Mighty…he's such a wonderful person now that he doesn't hold back on his feelings and doesn't think so lowly of himself. But slowly I've noticed a subtle desperation in his actions. He seems so eager to express his love for me. At this point, it's obvious this is all because of Shadow. While I am pissed at him for causing so much calculated turmoil, the fact that he can reveal a person's most honest emotions can't be ignored. I know this because that's what he's been doing to me for these two years. Revealing how sympathetic and concerned I am for him despite his actions. I say one thing and act the complete opposite around Shadow… And now he's done it to these two boys using me as the centerpiece. But as far as this impending storm is concerned…who will be the next to disappear from my life…the answer is too shrouded for me to see because I'm being tugged at from all sides. And because of these muddled feelings I couldn't reciprocate the smile I knew Mighty wanted to see. So I lifted my head away from his with my eyes closed.

I shook my head and he tightened his grip on my hands in response. I grimaced at the feeling of his hands and he pressed his lips against mine with so much passion and fear that I almost cried. Not because I felt guilty for allowing him to get so close, but because I knew that one day this relationship or my friendship with Silver would shatter. Eventually, I would have to choose one over the other. When we parted, Mighty wiped away the tears running down my face.

"Those don't suit you at all. You know that don't you?" he said trying to cheer me up immediately just as I expected him to do.

"Yeah," I managed a faint smile just so he could stop the desperate display of affection.

He chuckled and hugged me gently and I felt calm enough to embrace him in return.

"So Miles is a G.U.N. agent," Mighty said. "That's quite the surprise."

"Nothing surprises me anymore," I said.

And I really meant it. The kid being an undercover agent was the furthest thing down on my "worry list." I had to figure out some way to resolve this emotional battle between Mighty and Silver…and, possibly, Shadow if he manages to escape from those agents.


End file.
